Playground developing refugee crisis drama

Drama producer Playground Entertainment has secured rights to The New Odyssey – The Story of Europe’s Refugee Crisis, which comes from journalist Patrick Kingsley.

Transatlantic prodco Playground is developing the property into a “major new TV series” through its UK office after signing an option deal with Guardian News and Media.

Kingsley was in 2015 appointed migration correspondent at UK newspaper the Guardian, with The New Odyssey the resulting work.

The books follows Kingsley through 17 European territories, meeting and detailing the epic journeys refugees make to reach Europe.

“The New Odyssey is an epic piece of journalism that provides an intimate account of the people caught up in one of the biggest humanitarian crisis since WWII,” said Sophie Gardiner, Playground’s creative director, UK (pictured).

“We believe this can be television at its best – powerful, emotional and compelling storytelling that explores the complexities and human dimensions of the biggest story of our time.”

Former HBO production chief Colin Callender launched Playground in 2014, and added a London office a year later under former All3Media International managing director Louise Pedersen. The company has coproduced series such as the BBC’s Wolf Hall.