Overseen by Gary Davey, the current Managing Director of Sky UK, Sky Studios will build on the broadcaster’s recent run of successful drama series including Chernobyl and the RTS award-winning Save Me.

The new Europe-wide development and production capability has received backing from Sky’s new owners, Comcast, and will create new productions for outlets including Sky channels, NBC Broadcast and Cable, and Universal Pictures.

“Our ambition is to make Sky Studios famous for quality content and a place where Europe’s top creatives will want to do their best work,” said Jeremy Darroch, Sky’s Group Chief Executive. “Being part of Comcast enables us to increase our investment and to maximise the advantage and leverage of the Sky Group and our partners, NBCUniversal.”

Sky Studios will focus primarily on producing drama and comedy, but will also develop and produce original content for other genres.

Filming begins next month on the studios’ first international series, The Third Day, a co-production with HBO. Jude Law will star as Sam, a man drawn to a mysterious island off the British coast, populated by secretive inhabitants. As the rituals of the island overwhelms him, Sam is confronted by a trauma from the past, and finds himself at odds with the islanders, threatening their way of life.

The series will be produced in partnership with immersive theatre company Punchdrunk International, Plan B Entertainment and Utopia writer Dennis Kelly, who will work alongside writers Kit de Waal and Dean O’Loughlin on the project.

It will air on Sky Atlantic and Now TV in the UK and on HBO in the US.

Jeremy Darroch will be speaking at this year's RTS Cambridge Convention, click here to book tickets.