DirecTV has bought US rights to Playmaker Media’s The Code, a six-part series about two brothers who stumble across information about a new technology – information that people in the highest political echelons will kill to keep secret.
ABC-TV commissioned the thriller, which stars Dan Spielman (An Accidental Soldier, Offspring), Ashley Zukerman (The Slap, Rush), Adam Garcia (Coyote Ugly, Bootmen), David Wenham (Top of the Lake, Killing Time), Lucy Lawless (Spartacus), Aden Young (I Frankenstein, Rectify), Chelsie Preston Crayford (Mystery of a Hansom Cab, Underbelly: Razor), Adele Perovic (SLiDE), Dan Wyllie (Rake, Puberty Blues), Aaron Pedersen (Jack Irish, City Homicide), and Paul Tassone (Underbelly).
The show was created by Shelley Birse and written by Birse, Blake Ayshford and Justin Monjo, directed by Shawn Seet (Love Child, Underbelly, Mystery of a Hansom Cab) and produced by Playmaker’s David Maher and David Taylor and Birse.
Developed through the Scribe Initiative and produced with the assistance of Screen Australia, Screen NSW and Screen ACT, it will screen on DirecTV's Audience network.
The ABC has not yet set a telecast date but a June premiere on ABC1 is possible.
The UK’s DCD Rights negotiated deals for The Code with DirecTV and with the Sundance Channel in Latin America. Other sales are expected to close at the MIP TV market in Cannes next week.
“This internationally relevant drama is a fantastic new addition to our scripted offering”, said Nicky Davies Williams, CEO of DCD Rights. ”It has all the ingredients for success, such as a burning topic, solid on/off screen talent and the high quality production values that have propelled Australian drama’s reputation around the world."
Last year DCD Rights sold the third series of Essential Media & Entertainment's Rake to DirecTV and to the Sundance Latino channels.