‘The Last of Us’ Director Launches Production Company, Revives Cult Sci-Fi Series ‘Blake’s 7’
A new British production company, Multitude Productions, spearheaded by Emmy-nominated director Peter Hoar, is set to reboot the classic science fiction series Blake’s 7. The move comes as the industry grapples with shrinking budgets and a shifting landscape for genre content.
Multitude Productions was founded by Hoar, alongside Matthew Bouch, an executive producer known for A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder, and West End producer Jason Haigh-Ellery. The company has secured the rights to a range of intellectual property, with the Blake’s 7 reboot taking immediate priority. The original series, created by Terry Nation – the mind behind the Daleks – aired on the BBC from 1978 to 1981, following the adventures of political rebel Roj Blake and his crew as they fought against the oppressive Terran Federation.
Hoar, celebrated for directing the critically acclaimed “Long, Long Time” episode of HBO’s The Last of Us, is slated to direct the reboot. According to Bouch, the team is eager to see the series return to the BBC, while also exploring co-production opportunities with American streamers and European broadcasters like RTL. “We’re driven by our passions but also seeing that there is a gap in the market in the UK,” Bouch stated.
The timing of this venture is deliberate, coinciding with perceived challenges in the genre space. A senior official noted that Doctor Who, a cornerstone of British science fiction, is “stuck in something of a rut,” particularly following Disney+’s exit from a major co-production deal after just two seasons. Hoar believes this presents an opportunity to capitalize on a demand for intelligent, character-driven genre storytelling.
Hoar draws a comparison between Blake’s 7 and Disney+’s Andor, praising the latter’s success as stemming from its “integrity, wit and sophistication” rather than solely its substantial budget – reportedly around $25 million per hour. He argues that Doctor Who’s recent struggles demonstrate that increased funding doesn’t automatically equate to a better show. “We haven’t got the money anymore, nobody has,” Hoar explained.
Multitude Productions isn’t solely focused on reviving established franchises. The company is also developing a television adaptation of Luke Rhinehart’s The Search for the Dice Man, with an A-list star attached, and has optioned Patrick Carman’s Skeleton Creek book series, described as a “British Stranger Things crossed with Skins.” Additionally, they are working on adaptations of a well-known video game and a new sci-fi series with ITV, as well as a Japanese novel, The Dark Maidens, partially funded by the Singaporean government, and a crime series, Scammers, created with former fraudster Tony Sales.
The company is also championing a collaborative writing model, diverging from the traditional “showrunner” system prevalent in the UK. Bouch believes this approach fosters creativity and better utilizes the talents of multiple writers, stating, “We’ve never really had a showrunner model in the UK and I think it is full of problems because it doesn’t necessarily speak to that collaborative nature.”
Despite the challenging economic climate for television production, Multitude Productions is confident in its ability to succeed. “We’re very aware that it feels counterintuitive to launch something at this point but equally we feel there is a gap in the market in terms of what we are doing,” Bouch concluded. “Our expertise straddles both international and British lower budget material. Obviously the proof will be in the pudding.”
