Sky Atlantic HD announces FortitudeSky Atlantic HD announces Fortitude
Sky Atlantic HD today announces its most ambitious drama commission to date.
Fortitude is a 13-part drama co-production with US network Starz, written by Simon Donald (Low Winter Sun) and executive produced by Anne Mensah and Madonna Baptiste for Sky, Patrick Spence and Simon Donald for Fifty Fathoms and Tiger Aspect and Colin Callender for Starz.
A place like nowhere else, Fortitude is surrounded by the savage beauty of the Arctic landscape and one of the safest towns on earth. There has never been a violent crime here. Until now.
In such a close-knit community a murder touches everyone and the unsettling horror of this crime threatens the future of the town itself.
Sheriff Dan Anderssen is the local Head of Police and leads a world-class search and rescue team but now finds himself investigating the brutal and shocking murder of a British research scientist. He is forced to work alongside DCI Milton Caldwell, a British detective who's just flown in to Fortitude. As the search for the killer proceeds and the list of suspects grows, each cop finds compelling reasons to mistrust the other.
And as the endless summer nights give way once more to the Arctic darkness this apparently idyllic community struggles to make sense of the murderous terror that's been let loose in its heart.
"The shackles are off," said executive producer and lead writer, Simon Donald. "Since Patrick and I pitched this project to Sky we've had nothing but full-throated, whole-hearted encouragement.  Normally by now the brakes have been applied."
"I have long dreamed of an opportunity like this," added Patrick Spence, executive producer for Fifty Fathoms. "To make a show that is as ambitious as it is unique, and to do so with such unstinting and fearless backing. Simon and I are very lucky men indeed."
Fortitude will be shot on location later this year and will air on Sky Atlantic HD in the UK and Starz in the USA in 2014. Casting will be announced in due course.