2 weeks ago
Turns retired TV is besides for illustration a container of chocolates.
BritBox has ordered period play Chocolate Wars (working title) alongside UKTV and Sony Pictures Television. The scripted bid is inspired by a book chronicling confectionery empire-building successful nan 19th-century, during which clip British Quaker dynasty nan Cadbury family established themselves among Britain’s biggest cocoa makers.
Sony-backed Fable Pictures is producing successful relation pinch Freddie Highmore’s Alfresco Pictures, pinch Chloë Mi Lin Ewart (All Creatures Great and Small, Beyond Paradise) writing. The bid will premiere successful 2027 connected BritBox and connected UKTV streamer U and U&Drama successful nan UK.
Deadline revealed BritBox was nearing a woody for nan bid backmost successful January, pinch The Good Doctor prima Highmore attached. As we reported astatine nan time, nan play has been in nan works for much than 8 years, is inspired by nan 2010 humanities book of nan aforesaid sanction by Deborah Cadbury, an Emmy-winning TV shaper who belongs to nan Cadbury dynasty. Highmore will beryllium an exec shaper connected nan project.
BritBox is billing Chocolate Wars as “a warm-hearted family play pursuing nan visionary Cadbury family, nan underdogs of nan cocoa world, connected their travel towards creating nan world-famous Cadbury’s cocoa bar.”
Per nan logline: “In 1860s Birmingham, erstwhile cocoa arsenic we cognize it doesn’t yet exist, 2 very different brothers, Richard and George Cadbury, find themselves successful complaint of their family’s failing cocoa business. Between them, they person nan extremist brilliant and burning ambition to move Cadbury’s into 1 of nan world’s astir beloved confectioners. But first, they must study to spot and trust connected each other. And to extremity bickering for agelong capable to really invent immoderate chocolate.”
The bid will tally to six parts, pinch exec produucers comprising Faye Ward, Highmore, Hannah Price and Claire Londy, pinch Jess O’Riordan and Jon Farrar executive producing for BritBox and Helen Perry for UKTV.
Directors for nan bid will beryllium Tom McKay (After nan Flood) and Jill Robertson (Ludwig), pinch Hannah Farrell from Fable nan bid producer. Chloë Mi Lin Ewart leads nan penning team, alongside Eve Hedderwick Turner and Karim Khan.
Casting is underway, pinch filming successful Birmingham, UK, adjacent nan location of nan Cadbury factory, group to statesman this summer. Sony Pictures Television will grip worldwide income arsenic world supplier and plans to present it buyers astatine nan LA Screenings astatine nan Sony Pictures batch successful Culver City connected Sunday (May 17). Creative UK has provided location support done nan ERDF-funded West Midlands Production Fund.
Jess O’Riordan, Commissioning Executive and executive shaper astatine BritBox said: “Full of warmth and charm, this existent communicative brings nan Cadbury family communicative to life pinch extent and imagination. We’re excited to partner pinch UKTV, Sony Pictures Television and Fable Pictures connected a play play we cognize BritBox audiences will genuinely savor.”
“I can’t hold to unwrap nan communicative of nan Cadbury family and for viewers to beryllium captivated by nan delicious communicative of nan underdogs successful nan cocoa world,” added Emma Tibbetts, Director of Scripted Programming astatine BBC Studios-owned UKTV.
