Sky Studios, HBO, Plan B and Punchdrunk announce world-first live event as part of new TV series The Third Day

First look images released for the ground-breaking series starring Jude Law and Naomie Harris, which launches on 12 May 2020

A major collaboration between Sky Studios, HBO, Plan B, Punchdrunk and writer Dennis Kelly, The Third Day will be the world’s first immersive TV drama with an innovative live event staged as part of the series.

News of the unique mix of TV and live drama was announced today at Sky’s ‘Up Next’ content showcase, alongside the release of first look images for the series, which stars award-winning actors Naomie Harris and Jude Law.

Created by writer Dennis Kelly and Felix Barrett, artistic director of Punchdrunk, the ground-breaking project will tell three, stand-alone but interconnected stories, not only on screen but also in a live, immersive event.

The first part is ‘Summer’, starring Jude Law, written by Dennis Kelly and directed by Marc Munden. Told over three episodes, which will air on Sky Atlantic and streaming service Now TV, Summer follows the story of Sam (Law), a man who is drawn to a mysterious Island off the British coast where he encounters a group of islanders set on preserving their traditions at any cost.

Following ‘Summer’, viewers will get the chance to become part of The Third Day world at a major immersive theatre event. Created by Punchdrunk and directed by Felix Barrett, audiences will inhabit the story as it happens, live. Places will be limited, so audiences will be able to follow the events online.

The Third Day concludes with ‘Winter’: told over a further three episodes on Sky Atlantic and Now TV. Starring Naomie Harris, written by Kit de Waal, Dean O’Loughlin and Dennis Kelly and directed by Philippa Lowthorpe, it follows Helen (Harris), a strong-willed outsider who comes to the island seeking answers, but whose arrival precipitates a fractious battle to decide its fate.

Each story can be experienced separately, with Summer and Winter working together as a complete series - but all three parts together describe a larger narrative, creating a unique experience for those who seek it.

Co-creator Felix Barrett, Artistic Director at Punchdrunk explains: “To tell a story that spans TV and live action has been a long held ambition of mine. The Third Day will be both a TV show and a world you can enter, giving viewers the chance to live and breathe the narrative”.

Co-creator and writer, Dennis Kelly, says: “I wanted to make a series that was unsettling and disturbing but that also spoke to fears that ran deeper than horror. The themes of the Third Day have long been obsessions of mine - it is about loss and hope and how both of those things can distort the mind in surprising and brutal ways."

Further details of the live event including how to apply for tickets will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Third Day is a co-production between Sky and HBO. It is the first original drama to be produced by Sky’s new production house, Sky Studios, in partnership with Plan B Entertainment, the world-renowned immersive theatre company Punchdrunk and writer Dennis Kelly (Utopia, Pulling).

The six-part limited series will air in May in the UK and Ireland on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW TV and in the US on HBO.

The Third Day is the latest in a string of recent commissions as Sky continues to invest in original productions. Sky has recently committed to more than double its investment in original drama, comedy and documentary through Sky Studios, the commissioning and production arm of Sky. Sky Studios brings to screen unique stories from the very best talent in Europe and is the creative home of Sky’s award-winning and much-loved Sky originals.

Notes to Editors

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About Sky

With 24 million customers across seven countries, Sky is Europe’s leading media and entertainment company and is proud to be part of the Comcast group. Our 31,000 employees help connect our customers with the very best of Sports, News, the arts and to our own local, original content. Following the success of Sky originals like Chernobyl, Patrick Melrose, Das Boot and Gommorah we launched Sky Studios and now plan to more than double our investment in original drama and comedy over the next five years.

Our technology allows customers to watch what they want, when they want, how they want, and as we connect millions of families to content they love, it is our responsibility to do it safely – that’s why we offer services like Sky Broadband Buddy and the Sky Kids app. And our online streaming service, NOW TV, brings viewers all the enjoyment of Sky with the flexibility of a contract-free service.

We also believe that a company of our scale has a responsibility that goes beyond our business, and into the community. Our Sky Ocean Rescue campaign has reached millions across Europe, we’re on track to be free of single-use plastic by 2020, we’re investing £25million over five years in ocean-saving tech and we’re a proud employer – recognised by The Times and Stonewall for our approach to inclusivity.

About Punchdrunk

Founded by Artistic Director Felix Barrett, Punchdrunk is a world-renowned company whose work is recognised internationally as pioneering game-changing ways for audiences to experience culture. Punchdrunk has twenty years experience developing its signature form of large-scale, design-led, building-based theatrical experiences, in which audiences roam freely across epic and sensory theatrical worlds. The company’s infectious and individualised format rejects the passive obedience usually expected of audiences, inviting them to rediscover the childlike excitement of exploring the unknown.

The company’s production of Sleep No More in New York recently celebrated its eighth birthday and has been playing to sell out audiences since 2011. Most recently Punchdrunk collaborated with Shanghai Media Group to re-imagine Sleep No More in Shanghai where it has become the fastest-selling theatrical production in the city and has recently celebrated its third birthday.

The Punchdrunk charity is responsible for Punchdrunk’s enrichment programme, taking this innovative approach into schools and communities with projects that have a powerful impact. The charity’s recent work includes Small Wonders, a production for 5-11 year olds and their families, whilst schools projects The Lost Lending Library and A Small Tale are currently being delivered in London and across the UK. Previous projects include Against Captain’s Orders, a family show created in partnership with the National Maritime Museum and Greenhive Green, which took place in a care home for older people including those with dementia.

Punchdrunk Global Ltd trading as “Punchdrunk”

"Punchdrunk" is the registered trade mark of Punchdrunk and is used under licence. Punchdrunk Global Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 9302561. UK VAT Registration Number: 232 4800 38.

About HBO

HBO® is one of the most respected and innovative entertainment brands in the world, serving iconic, award-winning programming to 140 million subscribers globally. A subsidiary of WarnerMedia, HBO is the world’s most successful pay TV service with an extensive array of programming that includes some of the most notable titles to be on television including Game of Thrones®, Big Little Lies®, Westworld®, The Sopranos®, Sex and the City®, Band of Brothers®, and The Wire®. In the United States, HBO® and sister network Cinemax® are available across multiple platforms including HBO On Demand®, Cinemax On Demand®, HBO GO® and MAX GO®, as well as HBO NOW®. Internationally, HBO branded services, including television networks and the standalone streaming product HBO GO®, are available in more than 70 countries across Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. HBO and Cinemax programming is also sold into more than 150 countries worldwide.