Kudos, Knight adapt SAS: Rogue Heroes

Endemol Shine Group’s UK prodco Kudos has acquired rights to Ben Macintyre’s factual book SAS: Rogue Heroes and has attached Peaky Blinders’ Steven Knight to the project.

Steven Knight

Kudos, the prodco behind Broadchurch, Humans and Apple Tree Yard, is developing what it describes as “a major drama series” that tells the story of how pioneering UK special forces unit the Special Air Service (SAS) was formed. Knight will write the series, using access to secret archives to provide an extensive account of SAS history.

The series will delve into the psychology of the group of maverick officers and men who formed the unit during the Second World War. Broadcaster/streamer details are not yet available.

Knight said: “This will be a secret history telling the story of exceptional soldiers who decided battles and won wars only to then disappear back into the shadows. We will shine a light on remarkable true events informed by the people who shaped them.”

Martin Haines, joint MD for Kudos, added: “The sheer scale of the adventures brilliantly told by Ben and the extraordinary and varied characters involved make this an incredibly exciting project. With Steven on board we have the opportunity to redefine the genre completely.”

Karen Wilson, who also heads Kudos, added: “Steven is the perfect writer to bring this incredibly rich and powerful story to life.

“Imagine the men at the heart of this story being drawn with the same colour, character and compassion as the iconic characters which feature across Steven’s work and you get a sense of the huge potential of this project.”