Sundance Now Acquires Rights to Drama ‘Sanctuary’

AMC Networks’ streaming service Sundance Now has acquired the U.S. and Canadian rights to the eight-part psychological thriller “Sanctuary” from international distributor Studiocanal. Based on the novel “The Devil’s Sanctuary” by Marie Hermanson, the drama stars Josefin Asplund (“Vikings,” “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”) in a dual role and Matthew Modine (“Stranger Things,” “The Dark Knight Risesn”). Created and written by Charlie Fletcher (“Wire in the Blood”) and Rachel Flowerday (“EastEnders”), “Sanctuary” is produced by Italy’s Fabula Pictures and Sweden’s Yellow Bird.

The logline: “Sanctuary” follows estranged Swedish identical twins Siri and Helena (Josefin Asplund), who have always had a complex relationship. Traumatized by the loss of her partner, when Helena receives an invitation to visit Siri at an exclusive residential sanatorium in the Alps, she is reluctant but figures it will be a nice vacation. Despite the peacefulness of the clinic, Helena refuses Siri’s plea for help in swapping places for a few days to take care of some business, but wakes up to find Siri gone. Soon she realizes that Siri isn’t coming back, and that the clinic is far from a place of recovery; it’s a facility for studying psychopaths. Helena is now trapped in a waking nightmare in which no one is who they seem to be, and everyone believes that she is Siri. Surrounded by the most predatory and manipulative people imaginable, including the director of the Sanctuary, Dr. Marvin Fisher (Matthew Modine), escape is now only the second order of business: Helena’s first problem is simple survival.

“As the US home for culture-craving TV watchers looking for their next streaming obsession, Sundance Now is thrilled to acquire the first-rate psychological thriller ‘Sanctuary,’ said Shannon Cooper, VP of Programming, Sundance Now. “With its gripping script, impressive international ensemble and the picturesque backdrop of the Italian Alps, Sanctuary is a perfect addition to Sundance Now’s slate of addictive dramas. We’re happy to partner with Studiocanal, Yellow Bird, and Fabula Pictures to bring their edge-of-your-seat thriller to US audiences.”