The BBC has acquired eight-part French drama The Sentinels from Studiocanal.
The war drama-meets-sci-fi is based on Xavier Dorison and Enrique Breccia’s graphic novels Les Sentinelles and tells an alternate version of World War I.
Per the synopsis: “At the outbreak of World War I, Gabriel Ferraud – a gravely wounded soldier – is recruited into a top-secret French military program designed to create the ultimate weapon: enhanced humans. After being injected with a mysterious serum, Gabriel gains extraordinary strength, speed, and resilience. He joins an elite unit known as the Sentinels – augmented soldiers forged for the front lines. But as the war intensifies, Gabriel uncovers a terrifying truth that could alter the fate of the conflict.”
The stars Louis Peres as Ferraud. Also in the cast are Thibaut Evrard, Kacey Mottet-Klein, Carl Malapa, Olivia Ross and Ouassini Embarek.
The show comes from Federation Studio France and Espirits Frappeurs. Originally for Canal+, it is shopped internationally by Studiocanal. Thierry Poiraud and Édouard Salier are the directors, with Lionel Uzan and Thierry Sorel producing for Federation and Delphine Clot and Guillaume Lemans doing the same for Esprits Frappeurs.
“The Sentinels is a fully immersive war drama, drenched in adrenaline,” said Nick Lee, Head of BBC Programme Acquisitions. “The graphic novel origins has been cleverly adapted into a premium television experience by Canal+ and BBC audiences will revel in the blend of steam punk meets robo-cop. There’s also a Frankenstein-ian level of depth and empathy to this story that really grips. Prepare for something totally different and unforgivingly entertaining.”
The show launched had a simultaneous release on Canal+ across over 30 countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia last year – marking the group’s first multi-continental launch. It has also has also aired in Australia (SBS), Belgium (BeTV), Benelux (Play Media), Germany (ProSieben), Canada (TV5), Denmark (DR), Greece (NOVA), Portugal (NOS), Spain (Disney), Turkey (Tivibu).
In the UK, the BBC will launch it on iPlayer and BBC Four later this year.