Sky Atlantic and CANAL+ have commissioned a new, 6x60, crime drama series, THE LAST PANTHERS. Announced today by Zai Bennett, Director of Sky Atlantic, Cameron Roach, Sky Drama and Fabrice de la Patellière, Director of French Drama and Co- Productions; CANAL+ the series is developed and co-produced by Haut et Court TV (The Returned) and Warp Films (This is England, Four Lions, Southcliffe). THE LAST PANTHERS originated as an idea from celebrated French journalist Jerome Pierrat and the screenplay is from award winning writer Jack Thorne (Skins, This is England, A Long Way Down, Glue, The Fades). The series will be directed by Johan Renck (Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Bates Motel). Filming will start on 27th October with the four key shooting locations in London, Marseille, Belgrade and Montenegro.

Worldwide distribution is being handled by Tandem (a STUDIOCANAL company) and Sky Vision (BSKYB’s international division).

THE LAST PANTHERS opens with a daring diamond heist before quickly delving into the dark heart of Europe where a shadowy alliance of gangsters and ‘banksters’ now rules. A stellar cast is led by Academy® Award Nominee and BAFTA winner, Samantha Morton as Naomi, a British loss adjustor charged with recovering the stolen diamonds whatever the cost. Two-time Academy® Award Nominee, three-time BAFTA Award winner, and Golden Globe® winner John Hurt portrays Tom, her nefarious boss. Also in pursuit is a French-Algerian policeman Khalil, played by double Cesar award winner Tahar Rahim, one of France’s most talented and versatile actors.

Zai Bennett, Director of Sky Atlantic said: "As Sky continues to invest in more original programming, THE LAST PANTHERS is the perfect series to add to Sky Atlantic’s exciting drama slate. It has all the ingredients to ensure our customers will love it and it will flourish on the channel – on and off screen world-class talent combined with a gripping and thought provoking story. We’re delighted that the support of Sky Deutschland means that THE LAST PANTHERS will also air on Sky Atlantic in Germany."

Fabrice De La Patellière, Director of French Drama and co-productions for CANAL+ said: "THE LAST PANTHERS tells the tale of the world-famous Pink Panthers, a network of jewel thieves who still capture the imagination today. The series follows the quest to track some of these characters down, plunging the audience into a Europe gripped by new forms of crime and featuring the interplay between traffickers, European officials, war criminals and City bankers. We’re delighted to be supporting this ambitious international series for Création Originale CANAL+, alongside our partners Sky Atlantic, Haut et Court TV and Warp Films"

Peter Carlton, Warp Films, and Caroline Benjo, Haut et Court TV, commented: "What Sky Atlantic and CANAL+ have given us is the chance to make a truly contemporary, world class series that is smart and multi layered. THE LAST PANTHERS is a big, bold operatic series that tells a story about Europe today, about old alliances and terrifying freedoms, through the lives of our characters who move within it. Our shared histories and moral choices impact on every one of us in ways we cannot foresee."

THE LAST PANTHERS will be a tri-lingual series (English, French, Serbian) and produced by Peter Carlton/Warp Films, Caroline Benjo and Jimmy Desmarais/Haut et Court TV.

THE LAST PANTHERS will air on Sky Atlantic in the UK, Ireland and Germany, and on CANAL+ in France, in 2015.

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors:

For further information please contact: 
Tamsyn Zietsman 
Head of PR, Sky Atlantic
tamsyn.zietsman@bskyb.com
+ 44 (0)207 032 8093
+44 (0)787 299 34 

Annabel Rudden
Senior Publicist, Sky Atlantic
annabel.rudden@bskyb.com
+44 (0)207 032 6845
+44 (0)776 342 0892

Charlotte Jordan
Publicist, Sky Atlantic
charlotte.jordan@bskyb.com
+44 (0)207 032 1496
+44 (0)771 579 9962

About the cast:

About Samantha Morton:
Samantha Morton is a Golden Globe winner (best supporting actress) for her role in HBO’s Longford, and two time Oscar® nominee (best actress), for performances in Woody Allen's Sweet and Low Down and Jim Sheridan's In America. She has appeared in major films such as Minority Report opposite Tom Cruise and Elizabeth: The Golden Age with Kate Blanchett.

About Tahar Rahim:
Double Cesar Award winner (Best Actor & Rising Star), Tahar Rahim is known for his magnificent film roles in productions including Jacques Audiards’s movie : A Prophet, Kevin Macdonald ‘s film : The Eagle, Joaquim Lafosse’s feature Our Children, Rebecca Zlotowski’s in Grand Central and The Past by Ashgar Farhadi.
Soon, Tahar will be seen in : Samba a comedy by Eric Tolédano & Olivier Nakache and Santa Claus by Alexandre Coffre. In 2015, he will be the main character in Fatih Akin's movie The Cut.

About John Hurt:
Two-time Oscar® nominee (Best Actor), three-time BAFTA Award winner and Golden Globe® winner John Hurt is a versatile actor with numerous film and television credits. Scandal, Midnight Express, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. In television, his many roles include the series The Naked Civil servant, Englishman in New York.