Streaming service Stan has announced today that brand-new British series The Famous Five will premiere in December, on the same day as the UK.
Inspired by Enid Blyton’s children’s novels from the 1940s, The Famous Five offers a reimagining of the iconic stories for a modern audience in three 90-minute feature-length instalments.
The series follows five young explorers as they embark on treacherous and action-packed adventures, solve mysteries, combat danger, and unravel secrets on England’s coast and beyond.
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Starring as the five explorers are Diaana Babnicova (Don’t Breath 2) as George, Elliott Rose (The Northman) as Julian, Kit Rakusen (Stan Exclusive Series The Midwich Cuckoos) as Dick, and newcomer Flora Jacoby Richardson as Anne. Making up the fifth member is the gang’s faithful doggo Timmy, played by Kip, the Bearded Collie.
The Famous Five also stars King Joffrey himself Jack Gleeson (Game of Thrones, In The Land of the Saints and Sinners) as Wentworth, alongside Ann Akinjirin (Moon Knight, I May Destroy You) as Fanny, James Lance (Ted Lasso, Bronson) as Quentin and Diana Quick (Father Brown, Forever Young, Houdini and Doyle) as Mrs Wentworth.
Across three instalments, The Famous Five will see the gang trapped by a treasure hunter on an eerie deserted island, caught up in a fiendishly complicated secret service mission, and in a race to find a mysterious manuscript as the threat of war looms large.
Part one will premiere on Stan this December with parts two and three coming to screens in 2024.
A co-production between BBC and ZDF, the series is executive produced by Nicolas Winding Refn (byNWR) & Matthew Read (Moonage Pictures) and is based on Enid Blyton’s 21 stories.
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The series was commissioned by Sarah Muller, Senior Head of BBC Children’s Commissioning 7+ and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Amy Buscombe. For ZDF, Frank Seyberth, Head of International Coproduction, is responsible for the series together with Katharina Kremling as Commissioning Editor.
The first episode is directed by Tim Kirkby (Fleabag, The Pentaverate) and produced by Moonage Pictures and byNWR Originals. Asim Abbasi (Churails, Cake, Count Abdulla) will direct the second episode and Bill Eagles (Beautiful Creatures, Gotham, Pennyworth) will direct the third episode. Episode one is written by Matthew Read, episode two is written by Priya K Dosanjh, with episode three written by Matthew Bouch and Matthew Read.
Executive Producers are Nicolas Winding Refn, Matthew Read, Will Gould, Frith Tiplady, Tim Kirkby, Christina Bostofte Erritzøe, Kimberly Willming and Matthew Bouch. Producer is Sophie MacClancy. BBC Studios, who have a minority stake in Moonage, will oversee international distribution.
The Famous Five premieres this December on Stan.
