A classic BBC World War II drama is getting a reboot. The project is being developed by the producers behind The Assassin and Fleabag. British production company Two Brothers is backing the show. Although the company has primarily produced original stories, it now plans to expand into adaptations.
Tenko was produced by the BBC and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The series followed British, Dutch, and Australian women who were captured after the Fall of Singapore. Two Brothers approached the original series’ creator, Lavinia Warner, about the reboot.
Two Brothers Chief Creative Officer Sarah Hammond discussed Warner’s involvement with Deadline. She said, “We went to Lavinia Warner, who was the original producer and creator. She had a lot of relationships with the women and the families of the women who were in the war camp, so she didn’t want to hand the reins over to just anyone, but she was really excited to work with us to bring it back.”
What was the original Tenko TV show about?
The original series aired from October 1981 to December 1985. It ran for three seasons, followed by a 1985 special. Much of the series takes place in a fictional Japanese prisoner-of-war camp, where the women must band together to survive harsh conditions. Across its three seasons, the series follows the women from the Fall of Singapore through their captivity and eventual liberation by Allied forces.
The cast included Ann Bell, Stephanie Cole, Stephanie Beacham, Louise Jameson, Patricia Lawrence, Veronica Roberts, Emily Bolton, and Jeananne Crowley, among others. The original series currently holds an 8.7/10 rating on IMDb, based on just under 1,000 user ratings.
The reboot’s cast has not yet been announced. Meanwhile, Anna Symon is set to write the upcoming show. Two Brothers will also be producing a TV adaptation of the 2001 movie, Chalet Girl. It was a rom-com that starred Felicity Jones and Ed Westwick. It will be aimed at the emerging “new adult” market.
Originally reported on ComingSoon.net.
