AMC will introduce viewers to a magical new world when A Discovery of Witches comes to the Sundance Now and Shudder streaming services this January, and ahead of the first season's premiere, they've already acquired the second and third seasons of the Sky One UK series:
Press Release: NEW YORK, NY – November 5, 2018 – On heels of Sky UK’s greenlight announcement for second and third seasons of the captivating series “A Discovery of Witches,” Sundance Now, AMC Networks’ direct-to-consumer SVOD service curated with high-quality dramas and crime thrillers, and SHUDDER, the leading premium streaming service for thriller, suspense and horror, has confirmed the acquisition of both seasons. The first season is set to premiere on both the services in U.S. and Canada on January 17, 2019.
Adapted from Deborah Harkness’s critically-acclaimed and bestselling All Souls trilogy, the Sky original production launched in September in the U.K. and was produced by Bad Wolf, was this year’s biggest drama on Sky One. Seasons two and three will be returning to the channel and NOW TV, bringing to life the remaining stories from the trilogy.
Anne Mensah, Sky’s Head of Drama said: “Season one was a brilliant introduction to the All Souls world and the love story between Diana and Matthew. We can’t wait for the show’s fans to continue the journey with season two and three, become more enchanted by the characters and watch the magic further unfold.”
“A Discovery of Witches” is a modern-day love story, set in a world where witches, vampires and daemons secretly live and work alongside humans, hidden in plain sight.
In the second season Matthew (Emmy®-nominated Matthew Goode, “Downton Abbey”) and Diana (Teresa Palmer, Hacksaw Ridge) are hiding in time in the fascinating and treacherous world of Elizabethan London – here they must find a powerful witch teacher to help Diana control her magic and search for the elusive Book of Life.
Back in the present day, Diana’s beloved aunts, Sarah (Alex Kingston) and Em (Valerie Pettiford), must take shelter with notorious witch-hunter Ysabeau de Clermont (Lindsay Duncan) at her ancestral home, Sept-Tours. Meanwhile, in Oxford, Marcus (Edward Bluemel) and Miriam (Aiysha Hart) take on Matthew’s mantle to protect daemons Nathaniel (Daniel Ezra) and Sophie (Aisling Loftus), whose pregnancy is advancing. Gerbert (Trevor Eve), Knox (Owen Teale), Satu (Malin Buska) and Domenico (Gregg Chillin) are determined to hunt down every clue they can to Diana’s and Matthew’s disappearance, and the secrets their allies are keeping from them.
“We were absolutely thrilled that “A Discovery of Witches” was such a hit with viewers. There was a real sense of community throughout the run as fans old and new joined together to watch each week,” said Jane Tranter, Executive Producer, Bad Wolf Ltd. “We cannot wait to continue the journey with them and, as the show continues to sell around the world, bring a global fan base to these engaging and fascinating characters.”
Deborah Harkness, Author and Executive Producer added: "Given how warmly the season was received, I'm thrilled that we will be continuing with the story of the All Souls trilogy. There is so much to look forward to as we travel into Matthew's past and delve further into the mysteries surrounding Diana's power and Ashmole 782.”
“With “A Discovery of Witches” being so well received at the sneak peek screening this year at New York Comic Con, we know fans will absolutely love the first season, and we are excited to continue this thrilling journey with Sky,” said Jan Diedrichsen, General Manager, SundanceTV and Sundance Now.
Season two will also see the return of Owen Teale (“Game of Thrones”), Alex Kingston (“Doctor Who”), Lindsay Duncan (“The Honourable Woman”), Valarie Pettiford (“Half & Half”), Edward Bluemel (The Commuter), Aiysha Hart (“Line of Duty”), Trevor Eve (“Waking the Dead”), Malin Buska (The Girl King) and Gregg Chillin (“Being Human”).
Made by Bad Wolf Ltd., “A Discovery of Witches” season two will be written by Sarah Dollard (“Doctor Who,” “Being Human”) and Susie Conklin (“The Musketeers,” “Cranford”), who will also serve as an Executive Producer alongside co-founders of Bad Wolf, Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner and Lachlan MacKinnon along with Deborah Harkness.
“A Discovery of Witches” was commissioned for Sky One by Sky’s Head of Drama Anne Mensah. The series is co-funded and distributed internationally by Sky Vision. For Sundance Now and SHUDDER, the deal was negotiated by Endeavor Content and Aurelie de Troyer.
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About Sundance Now:
Sundance Now is AMC Networks’ premium streaming service, offering original and exclusive dramas, comedies, and true crime series, in addition to award-winning movies from every genre, including foreign-language and documentary features – all streaming commercial-free. Built on the Sundance legacy and curated by acclaimed filmmakers and cultural icons, Sundance Now is proud to present an extensive array of entertainment for a passionate and intellectually curious audience.
Facebook/ Instagram/ YouTube: @SundanceNow; Twitter: @sundance_now
About Shudder:
AMC Networks’ SHUDDER is a premium streaming video service, super-serving fans of all degrees with the best selection in genre entertainment, covering thrillers, suspense, and horror. SHUDDER’s expanding library of film, TV series, and originals is available in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, and Germany on most streaming devices for 4.99/month or 49.99/year. To experience SHUDDER commitment-free for 7 days, visit www.shudder.com.
Facebook/ Twitter/ Instagram/ YouTube: @shudder
Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.
When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.
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