Canal+ and Space the first buyers of BBC Worldwide’s Atlantis

BBC Worldwide has agreed the first presales for upcoming mythological drama Atlantis.

Premium French pay broadcaster Canal+ and Canadian specialty channel Space have both bought the series, which is produced by the team behind fantasy series Merlin.

The show will air on the BBC in the UK and on Worldwide’s US cable channel BBC America. Worldwide will give the series a full international launch at MIPCOM next month.

The show is produced by Urban Myth Films, a new indie producer set up by Johnny Capps, Howard Overman and Julian Murphy, three of the team behind Merlin.

The series follows three main characters who are reworked versions of the classic mythological heroes whose name they bare. Jason is played by Jack Donnelly who also starred in another of Howard Overman’s shows, Misfits, Hercules is played by Mark Addy (Game of Thrones) and Robert Emms (War Horse) plays Pythagoras.

“We liked the idea they could be an ancient Greek A Team – or Alpha Team – that people go to when they have a problem,” Capps told TBI.