ROC NATION AND PARTICIPANT MEDIA BOARD BBC ONE ADAPTATION OF NOUGHTS & CROSSES
Roc Nation is to board the eagerly awaited BBC One drama series, Noughts & Crosses (6 x 1 hour) from Producer Mammoth Screen, as Executive Producer. It will curate and release the soundtrack to the enthralling story of first love in a dangerous, adrenalin-filled alternate world, based on the multi-award winning novel series by Malorie Blackman. Participant Media, the leading media company dedicated to producing content that inspires and engages audiences in social change, will also Executive Produce.
Noughts & Crosses is written for television by Showrunner Toby Whithouse (Being Human, Doctor Who) who also serves as Executive Producer, with Lydia Adetunji (Riviera), Nathaniel Price (Tin Star) and Rachel De-Lahay (Kiri). The series is directed by Julian Holmes and produced by Johann Knobel (Shameless). Executive Producers are Kibwe Tavares (Jonah), Patrick Reardon for Roc Nation; Participant Media’s Jeff Skoll and Miura Kite; Mammoth Screen’s Preethi Mavahalli and Damien Timmer; and Ben Irving for BBC One. The series currently is in pre-production with casting underway and will be distributed internationally by ITV Studios Global Entertainment.
Patrick Reardon, Executive Producer for Roc Nation said, “We are thrilled to partner with Mammoth Screen and Participant Media on this series, which explores issues of race and discrimination through such a provocative and unexpected lens.”
Jonathan King, President of Narrative Film & Television for Participant Media said, “As we build out Participant Media’s episodic television slate, we’ve been looking for projects that explore social issues in unexpected and entertaining ways. When we saw Noughts & Crosses, we were captivated immediately. Music and popular culture are huge parts of the fabric of the show, and we couldn’t be more excited that Roc Nation is joining the team.”
Damien Timmer, Managing Director at Mammoth Screen, part of ITV Studios, added, “It is genuinely thrilling to have the Roc Nation team helping create an individual sound for this unique project.”
Malorie Blackman, Author of the Noughts & Crosses series, said “I am so thrilled and excited Roc Nation and Participant Media are going to be involved in the Noughts & Crosses series as Executive Producers. They’re going to bring an extra dimension to the production that I can’t wait to see – and hear!”
Noughts & Crosses follows two young people, Sephy and Callum, who are divided by their colour but united by forbidden love and burning injustice. Sephy is a ‘Cross,’ a member of the black ruling class and daughter of a prominent politician. Callum is a ‘Nought,’ a white member of the underclass who were once slaves to the Crosses. The two have been friends since early childhood but their relationship grows ever more complicated as they come of age. It’s the story of two families separated by power and prejudice but forever entwined by fate.
The adaptation is based on the first book in the Noughts & Crosses series for young adults, which has won the Red House Children’s Book Award and the Fantastic Fiction Award among other accolades. The author, Malorie Blackman OBE, was the Children’s Laureate from 2013 to 2015.
After establishing itself as the leading producer of feature films that inspire social awareness and engage audiences in positive social change (including The Help and Spotlight) working with world-class filmmakers, Participant Media continues its expansion into long-form programming with Noughts & Crosses. Participant’s first TV series, America To Me, the 10-part docuseries from acclaimed filmmaker Steve James, is now available to watch on Starz, followed by Ava DuVernay’s limited drama series, Central Park Five, which is currently in production and will launch on Netflix in 2019.