Trailer: Sky’s The Third Day blends TV and theatre this autumn
David Farnor | On 13, Aug 2020
“I think I recognise things here…” That’s the sound of Sky entering the unknown with new drama The Third Day, which starts this September.
The psychological thriller, starring Jude Law and Naomie Harris, was first announced near the start of the year, with the plan to blend TV and live theatre together in an ambitious new project. With theatres only just starting to reopen since the coronavirus pandemic prompted them all to shut their doors – and has put some tragically out of business – The Third Day still plans to immerse audiences in its world, but now through an innovative live broadcast.
Created by Dennis Kelly and Felix Barrett, the six-part drama is set on an alluring and mysterious British island and comprises three standalone, yet connected, stories.
It will premiere on 15th September on Sky Atlantic, with the first three episodes (Summer) written by Kelly and directed by Marc Munden. Airing weekly, they will see Sam (Law), drawn to the island and unable to leave the idyllic and dangerously enchanting world he has discovered, where the secretive rituals of its inhabitants bring him to grapple with experiences of loss and trauma hidden in his past through the distorted lens of the present.
Autumn, a live theatrical event, will follow on 3rd October. Broadcast live on Sky Arts and online, it will see Law and other members of the cast act out the events of a single day in real time. Capturing events live and in one continuous take, the broadcast will invite viewers deeper into the mysterious and suspenseful world of The Third Day, and will blur and distort the lines between what’s real and what’s not. It is created by theatrical innovators Punchdrunk and directed by founder and artistic director of Punchdrunk Felix Barrett.
Three days later, on 6th October, the series will conclude with Winter, starring Naomie Harris. This final three-part drama – written by Kit de Waal, Dean O’Loughlin, Dennis Kelly and directed by Philippa Lowthorpe – will follow Helen (Harris), a headstrong outsider who finds herself inextricably drawn to the same island. As the lines between fantasy and fact are distorted, Helen and her family are caught between the island’s splintered forces, which gives rise to a fractious battle to decide its fate.
All of The Third Day will also be available through NOW.
Here’s the new trailer:
Trailer: Sky’s The Third Day to premiere this May
11th March 2020
Jude Law and Naomie Harris head to Sky Atlantic this May for new drama The Third Day, and a new trailer gives us our first look at the ambitious new project.
The Third Day 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. 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.
The Third Day concludes with ‘Winter’, told over a further three episodes on screen, 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.
The series, a co-production with HBO, premieres on 12th May. Here’s the trailer:
First look: Sky’s The Third Day to launch with immersive theatre event
13th February 2020
Naomie Harris (Moonlight, Skyfall) will join Jude Law in Sky’s new original series The Third Day.
The Third Day is a story told over six episodes and in two distinct halves. The first – ‘Summer’, directed by Marc Munden, sees Sam (Law), a man drawn to a mysterious island off the British coast where he encounters a group of islanders set on preserving their traditions at any cost.
The second – ‘Winter’, directed by Philippa Lowthorpe, 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.
Jude Law and Naomie Harris are heading to Sky this spring, with The Third Day, a new series from Utopia’s Dennis Kelly. Those names alone, though, aren’t just why Sky wants you to tune in: it’s also teaming up with Punchdrunk to launch an immersive theatre event as part of the drama.
A co-production between Sky and HBO, The Third Day will tell three, stand-alone but interconnected stories, not only on screen but off as well. 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 NOW, 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 in an event by Punchdrunk and directed by Felix Barrett. 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. 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.
Barrett 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”.
Kelly adds: “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.
Naomie Harris joins Sky’s The Third Day
31st August 2019
The Third Day is a co-production between HBO and Sky Studios, in partnership with Plan B Entertainment, the world-renowned immersive theatre company Punchdrunk International and writer Dennis Kelly (Utopia, Pulling).
Cameron Roach, Director of Drama, Sky Studios, said: “We are thrilled Naomie is joining the cast of Third Day, it’s a real testament to the combined vision of Dennis Kelly and Felix Barrett. The prospect of Naomie and Jude Law, alongside an array of incredible British talent, with Philippa Lowthorpe and Marc Munden directing really demonstrates the quality and ambition of this distinctive, original drama.”
Creator Felix Barrett, Artistic Director at Punchdrunk International said: “Filming for The Third Day has begun and it’s been a remarkable experience seeing our shared vision come to life. We’ve followed both Naomie’s and Philippa’s careers for several years, and we are thrilled they will be joining the production.”
The six-part limited series will air in the UK and Ireland next year on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW and in the US on HBO.
Jude Law to star in Sky and HBO’s The Third Day
14th June 2019
Jude Law will star in The Third Day, a new series from Sky and HBO.
The Third Day 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 International and writer Dennis Kelly (Utopia, Pulling). It is the latest commission from Sky and HBO as part of their collaboration on original projects and it comes hot on the heels of their critically acclaimed and internationally successful mini-series Chernobyl.
Jude Law stars as Sam, who after being drawn to a mysterious Island off the British Coast, is thrown into the unusual world of its secretive inhabitants. Isolated from the mainland, the rituals of the island begin to overwhelm him, and he is confronted by a trauma from his past. As the line between reality and fantasy blurs, Sam finds himself immersed in an emotional quest which puts him at odds with the islanders and begins to threaten their way of life.
The six part, one-hour limited series will be directed by BAFTA Award-winner Marc Munden (National Treasure, Utopia) and produced by Adrian Sturges (Chimerica, The Enfield Haunting). Kit de Waal and Dean O’Loughlin are also writers for the series.
Production will start on The Third Day in the UK in July 2019 and the limited series will air in the UK and Ireland next year on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW, and in the US on HBO.
Cameron Roach, Director of Drama and Sky Studios, Sky UK and Ireland, says: “Sky Studios is delighted to be partnering with Plan B, Punchdrunk International and HBO on this exciting series. The Third Day is the result of the intoxicating combined imaginations of Dennis Kelly and Punchdrunk International’s Felix Barrett and have resulted in astonishing scripts. To see them brought to life under the direction of Marc Munden and with Jude Law at the helm of what promises to be a world class cast, is an incredibly exciting prospect.”
Casey Bloys, President, HBO Programming, adds: “Dennis and Felix have created something fresh and unique and we are thrilled to have this on HBO. We look forward to collaborating with Punchdrunk International, Marc and Jude as well as furthering our relationship with Sky and Plan B Entertainment.”
Later this year, viewers can look forward to a further HBO co-production, Catherine the Great starring Helen Mirren. Other upcoming Sky originals include Temple, starring Mark Strong, and comedy Brassic, written by and starring Joe Gilgun and Michelle Keegan, as well as a second season of In the Long Run created by and starring Idris Elba.