LONDON, February 12th 2013: NBC and Sky Living HD announced today that Thomas Kretschmann and Oliver Jackson-Cohen will join Jessica De Gouw, Katie McGrath, Nonso Anozie, Victoria Smurfit, and star Jonathan Rhys Meyers (“The Tudors”) as series regulars in the much anticipated new dramatic series “Dracula”.

Thomas Kretschmann will play the legendary role of Abraham Van Helsing.  However, in this retelling of “Dracula”, Van Helsing is not the classic hero we all have come to know.  A brilliant professor with a seemingly cool exterior, Van Helsing’s obsession with revenge and power may make him a more dangerous threat to the public than Dracula (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) himself.  Kretschmann has appeared in such films as “Wanted,” and “King Kong.”

Oliver Jackson-Cohen has been cast as the handsome Jonathan Harker, a tenacious and slightly gauche journalist desperateto climb the ranks of aristocracyand stay there.  Jackson-Cohen is currently appearing in “Mr. Selfridge.”

The 10-episode series re-introduces Dracula as he arrives in London, posing as an American entrepreneur who maintains that he wants to bring modern science to Victorian society. In reality, he hopes to wreak revenge on the people who ruined his life centuries earlier. There's only one circumstance that can potentially thwart his plan: he’s fallen hopelessly in love with a woman who appears to be the reincarnation of his dead wife.

Based on a script by co-executive producer Cole Haddon, “Dracula” will be executive-produced by former president of HBO Films and Emmy winner Colin Callender (“The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby”) for Playground, Tony Krantz (“24”, “Sports Night”) for Flame Ventures, Emmy and Golden Globe winner Gareth Neame ("Downton Abbey") for Carnival Films (a division of NBCUniversal International Television Production), Dan Knauf (“Carnivale”), and Universal Television. The Commissioning Editor for Sky is Anne Mensah, Head of Drama, Sky.

“Dracula” is the latest in a series of co-productions embarked on by Sky, with previous projects including “Treasure Island,” “Strike Back” and “The Tunnel” with Canal+. Sky has previously signalled its commitment to original production by increasing its investment in original British content by 50 per cent over the next three years.  By 2014, Sky expects to invest £600 million a year on home grown content across its portfolio of channels.

Additional casting and production details will be announced at a later date.

Notes to editor

For further information please contact:

Katharine Ware, Head of PR Sky Living
T: 0207 032 0674
M: 07824 824754
E: Katharine.Ware@bskyb.com

Rachel Tate
Publicist, Sky Living & Sky 1

0207 032 6481

rachel.tate@bskyb.com

www.skypressoffice.co.uk

Follow us on twitter @sky_livingPR


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