Blake's 7 Returns: Last of Us Director Revives Classic Space Opera
Peter Hoar and Matthew Bouch are bringing back the legendary British sci-fi series that captivated audiences four decades ago. The reboot promises to blend nostalgic storytelling with modern production values for today's viewers.
Peter Hoar, known for directing episodes of The Last of Us, is joining forces with The Witcher producer Matthew Bouch to resurrect the iconic British science fiction series Blake's 7. The original show aired from 1978 to 1981 and served as Britain's rebellious answer to Star Trek.
The series followed a ragtag crew of space outlaws fighting against the oppressive Terran Federation. Roj Blake, played by Gareth Thomas, led the charge as the Liberator's idealistic captain during the first two seasons. Paul Darrow's character Kerr Avon, a brilliant computer specialist, took command in the later seasons. Terry Nation, famous for creating Doctor Who's Daleks, developed the original concept.
Budget Constraints Sparked Creative Solutions
"The Blake's 7 story is legendary because they were given the Softly, Softly slot that was intended for police drama with a budget intended for one big set and a few location shoots," Hoar explained. His directing credits include Daredevil, Iron Fist, and Netflix's The Umbrella Academy. "At the time it felt like it meant something. Those shows got into my veins. I could tell they didn't have money but I was able to compartmentalize and enjoy the ride knowing that the sets wobbled."
Jason Haigh-Ellery will produce alongside Hoar and Bouch. Multitude's Lizzie Worsdell takes on executive producer duties. Hoar plans to direct every episode and will begin shopping the project to networks soon.
Filling the Genre Gap
"We're driven by our passions but also seeing that there is a gap in the market in the UK – particularly with the well-publicized dropping off of Doctor Who – for genre-based British IP," Bouch said. He referenced Disney Plus ending its distribution of the time-travel series in international markets.
"We look back at when we were young with a degree of nostalgia but also thinking about the '70s and '80s as we were growing up and the amount of genre material that was available, whether it was Blake's 7 or the Narnia adaptation," Bouch continued. "We are looking to the international market and seeing if there is a way of dovetailing that British low-budget sensibility with international markets. We know in the US there's a big contraction and we all need to think about finding ways to make things more economical."