Paramount+ Orders No Escape Adaptation

Paramount+ has ordered the original U.K. drama series The Blue, based on Lucy Clarke’s best-selling novel No Escape.

Co-produced by New Pictures, part of All3Media, and VIS, The Blue follows two deeply bonded best friends who are on the run from the U.K. police. They find refuge on a romantic yacht but soon discover it harbors its own dark secrets.

Abigail Lawrie (Tin Star) and Rhianne Barreto (The Outlaws) star in the lead roles.

Lead writer for the series is Kris Mrksa (White House Farm), while Hans Herbots (The Serpent, Cobra) is lead director. Elaine Pyke and Willow Grylls executive produce for New Pictures alongside Mrksa.

The Blue will be available exclusively on Paramount+, which will launch in the U.K. this summer.

“The Blue promises viewers a heady mix of intrigue and escapism, delivered by an ensemble cast of U.K. and international talent,” said Sebastian Cardwell, deputy chief content officer for the U.K. at Paramount. “We have worked hard to develop a U.K. drama slate for Paramount+, which is distinct in its variety, with options for stand-alone hits as well as returning series. The Blue, together with the titles we have already announced and those on the way, will showcase the creative excellence of our local production community.”

Pyke added, “Set against the wide-open waters of the Philippines, Australia and the U.K., The Blue is the perfect antidote for a world ready to escape the confines of lockdown. An ambitious, puzzle-box of a series set across three timelines, The Blue has scale, beauty, action and a gripping dark thriller storyline. Murder, money, treachery, loyalty and love—this is a show that twists and turns to keep everyone hooked.”