Sky & HBO Invest in Bad Wolf

HBO and Sky have announced their first investment as part of their co-production deal, taking a minority stake in Bad Wolf.

Bad Wolf, which was launched by award-winning producers Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner, will supply drama for the recently announced co-production partnership between Sky and HBO, which is aimed at funding large-scale dramas for the international market. As part of their investment, HBO and Sky will be represented on the board of Bad Wolf Productions by Glenn Whitehead and Gary Davey.

Bad Wolf has already co-produced The Night Of for HBO. Other major drama series currently in preproduction include A Discovery of Witches for Sky and the TV adaptation of Philip Pullman’s novels His Dark Materials.

Tranter, chief executive of Bad Wolf, said: “The synergy between HBO and Sky perfectly matches the transatlantic ambitions of Bad Wolf. From Rome and Five Days through to Getting On and The Night Of, Julie and I have always had a creatively fulfilling relationship with HBO. A Discovery of Witches marks our first partnership with Sky and we are thoroughly enjoying being part of their creative vision for TV. This transatlantic relationship, with its roots in South Wales, is something we cannot wait to get stuck into.”

Casey Bloys, the programming president at HBO, said: “Our experience working with Bad Wolf on The Night Of laid the groundwork for what I know will be a very fruitful production partnership alongside our friends at Sky, one that will reflect our common ambition for producing television of the highest quality.”

Gary Davey, managing director of content at Sky, said: “I have long been an admirer of Jane and Julie’s work and thought The Night Of, which Jane produced, was the standout U.S. production of 2016. We look forward to working with Bad Wolf in bringing more high-end drama and great storytelling to screen. Sky and HBO share a common creative culture and this deal deepens our relationship and maintains our leadership position in world-class content.”