Sky Atlantic Expands HBO Output Deal Across European Markets
Sky is expanding their relationship with HBO. The satcaster has agreed a new pan-European output deal, which makes Sky Atlantic the exclusive home of HBO content in Germany, Austria and Italy through to 2020. Sky Atlantic in the UK & Ireland was already covered by the output deal extension agreed last year, which included a co-production element, and also runs until 2020. 
After pro-longed negotiations, Jude Law has officially been set as the lead in The Young Pope, Paolo Sorrentino's 8 episode miniseries about the first American Pope. US premium cable network HBO has also boarded the project and will co-produce alongside Sky and Canal+. Sky Atlantic will air the series in the UK. 
BSkyB is to merge with sister companies Sky Italia and Sky Deutschland to create a pan-European broadcaster.