Written by Dennis Kelly, co-creator of the Olivier-Award-winning Matilda, and directed by Marc Munden (The Crimson Petal and the White), Utopia will begin filming later this year.

The official synopsis reads: “When a small group of people find themselves in possession of a manuscript of cult graphic novel Utopia, their lives are knocked out of kilter by explosive events. Targeted by a shadowy organisation known only as The Network, they are left with one option if they want to survive: they have to run.”

“Rumoured to have predicted the worst disasters of the last century, Utopia is legendary. Dismissed by most, idolised by few, only one thing seems certain: come into contact with it, and you won’t be safe for long.

“Never able to return home, our characters’ lives are immediately transformed. Unable to contact anyone on the outside, they live in constant fear of discovery – even though they have no idea why they are being pursued. All they know is that The Network is all-pervasive; in government, in business and in charge. Nobody knows what their plan is, only that they will stop at nothing.”

Jay Hunt, Channel 4’s Chief Creative Officer, commented: “Utopia is everything you expect from a Channel 4 drama – witty, utterly compelling and impossible to ignore – and I’m delighted that as part of our increased commitment to new drama on the channel, we’re working with one of the UK’s leading writing talents, Dennis Kelly.”

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