Syfy’s Ascension is coming to the UK.
Sky1 has closed a deal pick up the exclusive first run UK broadcast rights to the six hour miniseries starring Battlestar Galactica alum Tricia Helfer and Cougar Town‘s Brian Van Holt, TVWise has learned. Ascension is set to premiere on Sky1 in January 2015.
Ascension tells the story of the ship of the same name which was part of a covert space mission launched by the US government in 1963 to send hundreds of men, women and children on a century-long voyage to populate a new world. Nearly 50 years into the journey, as they approach the point of no return, a mysterious murder of a young woman causes the ship’s population to question the true nature of their mission.
The six hour event series – which is Syfy’s first stab at long form since 2009 – was penned by Philip Levens and is being produced by Sea To Sky Productions in association with Blumhouse Productions, while Universal Cable Productions and Lionsgate TV are co-financing and will distribute the series. Ascension stars Brandon P. Bell, Brian Van Holt, Tricia Helfer, Tiffany Lonsdale, Andrea Roth, Jacqueline Byers, Nora Bryce and P.J. Boudousqué.
With this acquisition, which Sky1 announced on Twitter, Ascension becomes the third cable series from a major US network that the satcater has picked up in the past few months. The channel also previously inked deals to acquire TNT’s drama series The Last Ship and Legends, both of which have been renewed for second seasons.