Top US and British Writers Join Forces for new drama

23 August 2016

Channel 4 and Sony Pictures Television are bringing together some of the best US and British writing talent to adapt the short stories by iconic Sci-Fi novelist Philip K. Dick for the hugely ambitious original drama series, Electric Dreams: The World of Philip K. Dick, and have today revealed that five more acclaimed writers will be joining the production.

Tony Grisoni (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas), Jack Thorne (Harry Potter & The Cursed Child, Skins), Matthew Graham (Life on Mars, Doctor Who), Kelly Marcel (50 Shades of Grey, Saving Mr. Banks) and David Farr (The Night Manager) join writers and executive producers Emmy-nominated Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica, Outlander) and Michael Dinner (Justified, Masters of Sex) for the forthcoming ten-part anthology - with Oscar nominated Bryan Cranston (Trumbo, Breaking Bad) confirmed to both executive produce and appear in the series.

Each episode will be a sharp, thrilling standalone drama adapted and contemporised for global audiences by a creative team of British and American writers. The series will both illustrate Philip K. Dick’s prophetic vision and celebrate the enduring appeal of the prized Sci-Fi novelist’s work.

The drama, expected to go into production in early 2017, will premiere on Channel 4 in the UK and will be distributed internationally by Sony Pictures Television. Other writers TBA.

The series was commissioned for Channel 4 by Jay Hunt, Piers Wenger and Simon Maxwell and will be made by Sony Pictures Television. Ronald D. Moore and Maril Davis (Tall Ship Productions) are executive producing with Moore also serving as writer. Michael Dinner (Rooney McP Productions) is writing and executive producing. Also executive producing are Bryan Cranston and James Degus (Moonshot Entertainment), Isa Dick Hackett, Kalen Egan and Christopher Tricarico (Electric Shepherd Productions), as well as David Kanter and Matt DeRoss (Anonymous Content Entertainment).

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Sony Pictures Television (http://www.sonypicturestelevision.com), a Sony Pictures Entertainment company, is one of the television industry’s leading content providers, producing and distributing programming worldwide in every genre and for every platform. In addition to one of the industry’s largest libraries of award-winning feature films, television shows and formats, Sony Pictures Television (SPT) boasts a current program slate that includes top-rated daytime dramas and game shows, landmark off-network series, original animated series and critically acclaimed primetime dramas, comedies and telefilms. In addition to its US production business, SPT has 19 wholly-owned or joint venture production companies in 13 countries and also maintains offices in 31 countries. SPT’s worldwide television networks portfolio includes 150 channel feeds available in 178 countries, reaching more than 1.3 billion cumulative households worldwide. SPT also creates original content for and manages the studio’s premium video website, Crackle. Additionally, SPT own US production company Embassy Row and is a part owner of the cable channel Game Show Network (GSN). SPT advertiser sales is one of the premier national advertising sales companies and handles the commercial inventory in SPT’s syndicated series as well as the Rural Media Group and DoctorOZ.com.

Channel 4 is a publicly-owned, commercially-funded, not-for-profit public service broadcaster and has a remit to be innovative, experimental and distinctive. Its public ownership and not-for-profit status ensure all profit generated by its commercial activity is directly reinvested back into the delivery of its public service remit. As a publisher-broadcaster, Channel 4 is also required to commission UK content from the independent production sector and currently works with over 300 creative companies across the UK every year. In addition to the main Channel 4 service, its portfolio includes: E4, More4, Film4, 4Music, 4seven, Channel4.com and digital service All 4.