Julie Delpy-Suranne Jones Political Series ‘The Choice,’ Real Estate Show ‘Buying London,’ Marian Keyes’ ‘Grown Ups’ Adaptation Among Netflix U.K. Commissions
Netflix has revealed a slew of commissions out of the U.K., including a political thriller series starring Julie Delpy and Suranne Jones, the reality show “Buying London” and a TV adaptation of Marian Keyes’ bestselling novel “Grown Ups.”
As reported by Variety exclusively earlier, Netflix has also commissioned the Jamie Dornan crime noir series “The Undertow,” which will go into production in Scotland this year and premiere on the platform in 2025.
More from Variety
Jason Bateman, Jude Law Limited Series 'Black Rabbit' Ordered at Netflix
Jamie Dornan to Play Twin Brothers in Netflix Crime Noir Series 'The Undertow' (EXCLUSIVE)
Also set for 2025, “The Choice” stars Jones and Delpy as the British Prime Minister and French President, respectively, in what is being described as a high-stakes political thriller.
Jones plays “Abigail Dalton, the recently elected British Prime Minister fighting for office thanks to a healthcare crisis. Vivienne Toussaint, played by Julie Delpy, is the first female French President campaigning for re-election no matter what — including tackling France’s borders. A summit between the two women could be the answer to their prayers, if they can agree,” the show’s synopsis reads. “But when Dalton’s husband is kidnapped and Toussaint is blackmailed, they both face unimaginable choices. Forced into a fierce rivalry where their political futures, and lives, might hang in the balance, can they work together to uncover the plot that threatens them both?”
Corey Mylchreest, Lucian Masmati, Ashley Thomas, James Cosmo and Jehnny Beth round out the cast.
Coming to the platform this year, “Buying London” will follow property mogul Daniel Daggers and his team at DDRE Global as they take on London’s luxury property market. “The talented team set out to conquer the super prime high-end real estate market from the prestigious streets of Mayfair to the exclusive enclaves of Holland Park as we follow the group as they navigate the intricacies of their personal lives as well as striving to make their mark in the glamorous world of luxury real estate,” the official description reads. Cam De La Huerta serves as showrunner with Paul Broadbent as executive producer. Naked, a Fremantle label, is producing.
Irish author Keyes’ “Grown Ups” will be adapted into an ensemble family drama series. “Based on three couples — Nell and Liam, Cara and Ed, Jessie and Rory — like most families, the Caseys are a complicated bunch,” the show’s synopsis states. “Ever-shifting politics. Old and new resentments. Arguments that blow over quickly and hurts that are nursed forever. They’re loyal. Noisy. And bound together by a whole lot of love.”
“Grown Ups” is from writer and executive producer Sam Strauss. Liz Watts, Helen Gregory, Emile Sherman and Iain Canning will executive produce for See-Saw Films, with Keyes and Louise Gough also exec producing. Simon Gillis will serve as co-executive producer.
Keyes added in a statement, “I SCREAMED when I got this news! It’s thrilling that See-Saw and Netflix are bringing Grown Ups to the screen – they’ve already brought me so much pleasure as a viewer. Samantha Strauss really ‘gets’ the dynamics of the book and I’ve loved the treatment and scripts that I’ve seen. Honest to God, I’m overjoyed.”
Another landing in 2025 is “Adolescence,” a crime drama from the award-winning trio of Stephen Graham, Philip Barantini and Jack Thorne. Told in a real-time, one-shot style, much like Graham and Barantini’s acclaimed kitchen drama “Boiling Point,” the four-part series will be directed by Barantini, and is produced by Warp Films, Matriarch Productions (set up by Graham and Hannah Walters), and Plan B.
“The collaboration of talents behind Adolescence is exceptional,” said Warp Films CEO Mark Herbert. “With Stephen Graham, Philip Barantini, and Jack Thorne leading the charge, expect an ambitious one-shot crime drama like never before.”
Casting news has also been revealed for “Bank of Dave: The Sequel” and the new Harlan Coben series “Missing You.”
“Bank of Dave: The Sequel” will star Amit Shah as Oliver, Def Leppard as themselves, Pearce Quigley as David H, Leila Farzad as Margot, Dan Fogler as Detective Mitch Adams and Rob Delaney as Carlo Mancini.
The cast for “Missing You” includes Rosalind Eleazar as Kat Donovan, Jessica Plummer as Stacey Embalo, Richard Armitage as Ellis Stagger, Lenny Henry as Clint Donovan, Steve Pemberton as Titus, Paul Kaye as Monte Leburne, Samantha Spiro as Nurse Sally Steiner, Lisa Faulkner as Dana Fells and Mary Malone as Aqua.
See more new series coming to Netflix below.
“Bear Hunt” (working title) — coming 2025
“Holly Willoughby hosts this action-packed competition show that sees a group of unlikely British celebrities dropped into the Central American jungle as prey for one of the world’s most fearsome predators – Bear Grylls. Bear believes there’s an action hero inside us all — even the celebs — but how strong is their will to survive? As Bear puts them through their paces, those who fail to impress will face the dreaded ‘Bear Hunt’ – a brutal game of cat and mouse where they’ll be hunted down by Bear himself and, if captured, eliminated from the show.”
“Black Mirror” Season 7 — coming 2025
“Charlie Brooker’s dark, satirical anthology series will return in 2025 with six brand new episodes, including a sequel to the sci-fi adventure ‘USS Callister.’ USS Callister will return… Robert Daly is dead, but for the crew of the USS Callister, their problems are just beginning.”
“Millennium Diamond Heist” — coming 2026
“From executive producer Guy Ritchie and Academy Award and Emmy-winning producer Lightbox, comes a three-part documentary true crime caper. It’s summer 2000. A group of South-East London criminals are orchestrating what just might be the most audacious heist of all time. Their plan: use a bulldozer to ram-raid the brand new Millennium Dome in broad daylight, steal the world’s second biggest flawless diamond, worth ￡200 million, and escape by speedboat down the Thames. There’s just one tiny problem: the Flying Squad are watching.”
“The Final: Attack on Wembley” — coming 2024
“On July 11, 2021, Wembley Stadium was on the brink of a historic win for Gareth Southgate’s England team. The squad had inspired the country on their journey to England’s first major final since 1966, and the European Championship was within their reach. But as England supporters arrived at Wembley from all corners of the country, celebration quickly turned to chaos. Mayhem took over with scenes of drunkenness and drug-taking, and ticketless fans saw an opportunity to storm the stadium. With compelling first-hand testimony and visceral user-generated-content, this is the dramatic story of a day that began with euphoria, and ended in a nation left reeling.”
“House of Guinness” (working title) — TBA
Written by Steven Knight (“Peaky Blinders”), this series “will tell the epic story of one of Europe’s most famous and enduring dynasties — The Guinness Family,” its description reads. “Set in 19th-century Dublin and New York, the story will focus on the consequences of the death of Benjamin Guinness, the man responsible for the extraordinary success of the Guinness brewery, and the far-reaching impact of his cunning will on the fate of his four adult children, Arthur, Edward, Anne and Ben, as well as on a group of Dublin characters who work and interact with the growing juggernaut that is Guinness.”
“The Witness” — coming 2025
“On a beautiful summer’s morning in 1992, Alex Hanscombe witnessed his mother’s brutal murder on Wimbledon Common. He was 2 years old. ‘The Witness’ follows the investigation into Rachel Nickell’s murder from the point of view of Alex and his father André, and explores the unexpected ways in which the tragedy transformed both their lives.”
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.