Bad Wolf (production company)

Last updated

Bad Wolf Ltd.
Company type Subsidiary
IndustryTelevision
Founded2015;9 years ago (2015)
Founder Julie Gardner
Jane Tranter
Headquarters Cardiff, Wales, UK
Key people
Julie Gardner
Jane Tranter
Natasha Hale
Parent Sony Pictures Television (2021–present)
Divisions Bad Wolf America
Website bad-wolf.com

Bad Wolf Ltd. is a television production company founded by Julie Gardner and Jane Tranter in 2015 based in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. [1] [2] The company is responsible for the television series The Night Of , Beddgelert, A Discovery of Witches , His Dark Materials and starting with the 2023 Specials   Doctor Who .

Contents

History

The company was founded in 2015 by former BBC executives Julie Gardner and Jane Tranter after leaving BBC Worldwide. [3] During their time at the BBC, they worked with Russell T Davies on the 2005 relaunch of Doctor Who, which was made in Wales. [4] The company name is a homage to the "Bad Wolf" storyline from the relaunched series. In 2015, it signed a first look deal with HBO. [5]

In 2017, the company opened a new film and television studio in Cardiff, named Wolf Studios Wales. [6] That same year, Bad Wolf's first production, The Night Of , [7] was nominated for thirteen Emmys, of which it won five. [8] Later that year, they also received investment from European media conglomerate Sky Group and American network HBO in return for minority stakes in the company. [9]

The first episode of the company's His Dark Materials , which began an adaptation of the book series of the same name, was watched by approximately seven million people. This made the premiere the biggest new British series debut in over five years. [10]

In April 2020, Bad Wolf announced that had commenced work on I Hate Suzie starring Billie Piper, whom Gardner and Tranter's associate Russell T Davies had cast in the major role of Rose Tyler on Doctor Who. [11] [12]

On 24 September 2021, BBC Studios announced that Bad Wolf would become co-producer of Doctor Who itself starting in 2023, following the scheduled departure of the series' current showrunner, Chris Chibnall, who occupied the role from 2017 to 2022. Davies returned to his old role as showrunner, which he had occupied from 2005 to 2010, with Gardner returning as executive producer and Tranter joining also. [13]

In October 2021, it was announced that Sony Pictures Television would acquire a majority of Bad Wolf, [14] acquiring the remaining shares from HBO and Sky plc in December of that year. [15] The deal brought in a new member, Natasha Hale, along with a long-term partnership to produce future productions and boost Cardiff's standing in the entertainment industry. [16]

Productions

Television series

Key
Denotes series that have not yet been released
YearTitleCreator(s)Distributor(s)Notes
2016 The Night Of Steven Zaillian
Richard Price
BBC Studios Owned by BBC
2017BeddgelertMedeni Griffiths
2018–2022 A Discovery of Witches Deborah Harkness Sky Vision (S1)
NBCUniversal International Distribution (S2/S3)
Owned by NBCUniversal
2019–2022 His Dark Materials [17] Philip Pullman BBC Studios (United Kingdom)
HBO (International)
Owned by HBO and BBC
2020–present Industry Konrad Kay
Mickey Down
2020–2022 I Hate Suzie Lucy Prebble
Billie Piper
NBCUniversal International Distribution [18] Owned by NBCUniversal
2023 The Winter King Kate Brooke
Ed Whitmore
Sony Pictures Television [19]
2023–present Doctor Who Sydney Newman
C.E. Webber
Donald Wilson
BBC Studios (United Kingdom and Ireland) [20]
Disney+ (International) [21]
Owned by BBC
2023–2024 Tales of the TARDIS Russell T Davies BBC Studios
2024 Red Eye Peter A. Dowling
Jingan Young
Sony Pictures Television
Lady in the Lake Laura Lippman Apple TV+ [22] Under the Bad Wolf America banner
TBAComing Undone Terri White Netflix [23]
Dope Girls Polly Stenham Sony Pictures Television [24]
The War Between the Land and the Sea Russell T Davies BBC Studios (United Kingdom and Ireland)
Disney+ (International) [25]

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References

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