A24 and BBC begin production on The Ministry of Time series. entertainment Quick summary. * The BBC and A24 have officially commenced production in London on the six-part television adaptation of Kaliane Bradley's bestselling novel, The Ministry of Time. * The series features Aoife Hinds and Billy Howle in lead roles, portraying a civil servant and a Victorian-era polar explorer caught in a government time-travel experiment. * The project is spearheaded by acclaimed writer Alice Birch, known for her work on Normal People and Dead Ringers, with Aneil Karia serving as lead director. * International distribution is being handled by A24, with co-production support from global partners including Crave, Binge, and ZDF. Key details. The production of The Ministry of Time marks a significant collaboration between the British public broadcaster and the powerhouse independent studio A24. The narrative centers on a clandestine government program that recruits "expats" from various historical periods to test the feasibility of time travel. Aoife Hinds takes on the role of Sophy, a civil servant tasked with managing the integration of these historical figures into contemporary society, while Billy Howle portrays Commander Graham Gore, a 19th-century polar explorer. Adapted by Alice Birch, the series is expected to blend high-concept science fiction with the intimate character-driven drama that has become a hallmark of her previous projects. The plot explores the evolving relationship between Sophy and Gore, which shifts from a professional arrangement into a forbidden romance that challenges the ethics of the Ministry itself. The production is currently underway in and around London, signaling a major investment in prestige drama for the BBC's upcoming slate. This is very exciting, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it all comes together. If I could travel back in time six years to tell past me what was going to happen with that polar explorer she'd just started writing about, I think she would have done some very Victorian swooning. - Kaliane Bradley, Author The project has attracted a robust international coalition of co-producers, including Amediateka, Bell Media's Crave, Binge Australia, and ZDF. This multi-territory financing model underscores the global appetite for high-concept, literary-based television series that can bridge the gap between niche intellectual property and mainstream streaming audiences. Data points. * 6 episodes comprise the total run of the series, which is currently filming in the United Kingdom. * 2 lead actors, Aoife Hinds and Billy Howle, have been confirmed to anchor the production. * 1 primary source material, Kaliane Bradley's debut novel, serves as the foundation for the series adaptation. * 5 international co-production partners, including Crave and Binge, are backing the project alongside A24 and the BBC. Industry context. The Ministry of Time represents a strategic shift for A24 as it continues to expand its footprint in the television sector. While the studio built its reputation on prestige independent cinema, its recent pivot toward television - evidenced by hits like Beef and Dreaming Whilst Black - demonstrates a successful transition into episodic storytelling. By partnering with the BBC, A24 is leveraging the prestige of British public broadcasting to elevate its brand in the global market, ensuring that its projects reach both linear audiences and digital platforms like BBC iPlayer. This project also highlights the industry's ongoing obsession with "genre-defying" adaptations. In an era where streaming platforms are saturated with generic procedural content, networks are increasingly turning to literary fiction that blends speculative elements with grounded emotional stakes. This approach minimizes the risk of producing original sci-fi by utilizing established fanbases while allowing for creative flexibility in the adaptation process, as evidenced by the involvement of a high-caliber writer like Alice Birch. Why this matters. For industry observers, this production is a case study in the power of international co-production models. By securing partners like Crave and ZDF early in the development phase, A24 and the BBC have effectively mitigated the financial risks associated with high-budget period dramas. This model is becoming the standard for mid-to-high-budget television, as it allows for a wider reach and ensures that the series is pre-sold across key global territories before the cameras even start rolling. Furthermore, the casting of Hinds and Howle - both of whom have significant experience in high-profile genre projects - suggests a focus on talent that can appeal to both domestic British viewers and international audiences. For investors and stakeholders, the success of this series will likely serve as a bellwether for how well A24 can scale its "prestige-indie" aesthetic into the global television market. If the series performs well, it will solidify the studio's position as a dominant force in both film and television, potentially leading to more aggressive acquisition of literary rights for similar adaptations. The bottom line. The Ministry of Time highlights the growing trend of international co-production for high-concept literary adaptations, positioning A24 to further dominate the prestige television landscape.

Robert Pattinson plays Chris Hansen in A24's venice-bound *Primetime*. A24 drops the full trailer for *Primetime*, Robert Pattinson's Venice-bound drama about the origins of TV's To Catch a Predator. Opens September 25. A24 has released the full official trailer for Primetime, director Lance Oppenheim's drama about the origins of the television program To Catch a Predator, with Robert Pattinson starring as host Chris Hansen. The trailer arrived on August 6, ahead of the film's world premiere in competition at the Venice International Film Festival, with a US theatrical release set for September 25. Pattinson also serves as a producer on the project. The cast includes Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Phoebe Bridgers, Matthew Maher, and Bokeem Woodbine, who plays a police officer. From teaser to full reveal. A24 had put out a shorter teaser in May, but the August 6 release marks the first full-length look at the film, according to Deadline. The studio first announced the project in October 2024, at which point it was described only as a story about a journalist who investigates crime and transforms television - without explicitly naming Hansen as the subject. The screenplay was written by Ajon Singh. Producers alongside Pattinson include Lars Knudsen, Brighton McCloskey, Tyler Campellone, Fred Berger, and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones. What the trailer reveals. Set in 2006, the film follows Hansen as he sets out to make broadcasting history through his Dateline NBC segments exposing suspected child predators. As firstshowing.net reports, the trailer presents Hansen as someone with his own motivations driving the series forward. The trailer is structured as a split screen, with Pattinson delivering lines that echo Hansen's on-camera confrontations. His character asks subjects what would have happened had he not been there, whether they understand how the situation appears, and whether a man must be held accountable for his choices. He then introduces himself as Hansen with Dateline NBC, telling his subject they can be part of television history. Oppenheim's fiction debut. Oppenheim is best known for documentary work, including Some Kind of Heaven, Spermworld, and the HBO series Ren Faire. Primetime represents his move into narrative fiction. According to firstshowing.net, production took place in New Orleans under the working title Bluefin Tuna. The film arrives in the wake of renewed scrutiny of To Catch a Predator. Firstshowing.net notes that a documentary titled Predators, which premiered at Sundance in 2025, examined the show critically, looking at Hansen's conduct and whether the program genuinely deterred predators or complicated efforts to do so. Primetime appears to be informed by those kinds of questions about Hansen's legacy and his personal drive to put the show on air. The film competes at Venice before opening in US cinemas on September 25. This is one of the more anticipated A24 fall releases, with Pattinson returning to prestige drama after a string of high-profile projects. Tickets and screenings have not yet been announced publicly through the sources available. Patricia gorman. Patricia is a senior reporter at culture.org and has covered arts institutions since 2016. She previously wrote for The Art Newspaper and the Hartford Courant, where she handled... The Film & TV Brief You finished the piece. Get the next one. The stories shaping culture, chosen and explained by its editors. Wednesdays.