US cable channel Starz have agreed to co-finance a fourth series of Torchwood, along with BBC Cymru Wales and BBC Worldwide. The new 10-episode series is expected to debut in summer 2011 on the BBC in the UK and Starz in the US. John Barrowman and Eve Myles will return as series leads Captain Jack Harkness and Gwen Cooper, joined by new cast members who will reflect a new international scope. Creator Russell T. Davies will be returning to run the series, aided by executive producer Julie Gardner.
Chris Albrecht, President & CEO Of Starz:
"I've been part of successful partnerships with Jane Tranter and the BBC previously, and I'm very much looking forward to working with them again."
Jane Tranter, EVP of BBC Worldwide Productions:
"Torchwood has attracted remarkable attention and loyalty in both the UK and US, and in this new partnership with Starz, the next chapter will not only reward our current fans, but also introduce new viewers to the most impressive instalment yet. Chris Albrecht and his team are committed to delivering quality premium programming to their subscribers, also a core attribute of the BBC, and we are excited to be working with them as the Torchwood adventure continues."
Carmi Zlotnik, Managing Director of Starz Media:
"Russell, Jane and Julie came to us with a compelling vision for the evolution of the Torchwood saga that really takes the story into whole new areas. The compelling story and characters this trio created provide a strong template for driving this narrative in exciting ways."
Ben Stephenson, Controller of BBC Drama Commissioning:
"We have a long history of working with many US networks, but it is incredibly exciting to be working with Starz for the first time, as well as to be reunited with the best of British in Russell, Jane and Julie. Torchwood will burst back onto the screen with a shocking and moving story with global stakes and locations that will make it feel bigger and bolder than ever."
This co-production deal with Starz adds to the channel's recent ambitions to produce original content, as the show will sit alongside Party Down, Spartacus: Blood & Sand and next year's Camelot.
What do you think? Exciting news? This won't be a full-on US remake, more an Anglo-American partnership? I assume the production values will be a lot higher (even US cable shows have budgets that shame UK television), and the actors joining Barrowman and Myles will be American/Canadian. Will the show itself be set in America now, or will it still film in Cardiff? More details will surely leak in the coming weeks and months...
