LONDON — “Downton Abbey” producer Carnival Films has joined forces with comic-book writer Stan Lee on his first TV drama for the U.K., super-hero crime thriller “Lucky Man,” which has been commissioned by U.K. pay TV operator Sky.
The 10-episode one-hour series is based on an original idea by Lee and is being made in collaboration with Lee’s company POW! Entertainment. It will debut on Sky 1 in 2016.
The series stars James Nesbitt (“The Hobbit” trilogy, “The Missing”), Eve Best (“Nurse Jackie,” “The Honorable Woman”) and Sienna Guillory (“Fortitude,” “Luther,” “Love Actually”).
It is the story of detective Harry Clayton (Nesbitt), a cop from Central London’s notorious Murder Squad, who is given a charm that seems to confer upon the wearer the ability to control luck.
Harry is down on his luck: his wife (Best) and child have left him due to his gambling habit, his boss thinks he’s in league with the devil, and he has a huge debt to an infamous underworld crime boss who is threatening his life.
Popular on Variety
A chance meeting with a mysterious woman who gives him an ancient bracelet changes everything… It appears to give Harry control over luck itself.
Fell and Gareth Neame will executive produce for Carnival, and Anne Mensah and Beverley Booker for Sky, with Lee and producing partner Gill Champion as co-executive producers, alongside writer and co-creator Neil Biswas. Phil Temple is the development producer for Carnival.
The series will be distributed globally by NBCUniversal International Distribution.
Adam MacDonald, director of Sky 1, said the show is “mysterious, thrilling, energetic and sure to appeal to our customers.”
Lee said: “Luck has always been a fascinating subject to me, and I am excited to finally share that fascination with audiences around the world.”
Richard Fell, executive producer, said: “‘Lucky Man’ is a different kind of superhero show — Stan has come up with an absolutely brilliant idea; something that we can all relate to. What if you could control luck? Would that be the greatest thing you could give someone, or their worst nightmare? It’s a twist which brings the whole superhero genre right back down to earth.”
