Starz Secures U.S. and Canada Rights for Ella Purnell Thriller ‘Sweetpea’

Starz has secured the U.S. and Canada rights to a British revenge thriller featuring Ella Purnell, known for her role in Fallout.

The premium cable network will air Sweetpea later this year. This drama, inspired by C.J. Skuse’s 2017 novel, stars Purnell as a demure young woman who unexpectedly develops a penchant for murder. In addition to her acting role, Purnell also serves as an executive producer.

The series, produced by See-Saw Films, Fanboy, and Sky Studios, will also be broadcast on Sky Atlantic in the U.K.

“We’re thrilled to collaborate once more with Ella Purnell and Sky Studios on such an innovative and boundary-pushing story,” said Alison Hoffman, President of Domestic Networks at Starz. “This darkly humorous revenge tale is bound to captivate audiences, especially with Ella’s performance as a woman who discovers her voice and asserts her authority in devious and unexpected ways.”

Sweetpea marks Ella Purnell’s return to Starz following her role in the network’s drama Sweetbitter. She has also starred in Showtime’s Yellowjackets and the series Fallout on Amazon’s Prime Video.

The series synopsis describes Sweetpea as follows: “Rhiannon Lewis (Purnell) hardly makes any impact — people pass by her on the street without a second thought. She’s consistently ignored for promotions at work, the man she fancies won’t commit, and her father is gravely ill. Her life is then unexpectedly upended. Pushed to her limits, Rhiannon loses control. Suddenly, the meek wallflower vanishes, replaced by a young woman capable of anything. As Rhiannon embraces a newfound, intoxicating power, the question arises: can she conceal her deadly secret?”

The cast also includes Nicôle Lecky, Jon Pointing, Calam Lynch, Leah Harvey, Jeremy Swift, and Dustin Demri-Burns.

The novel has been adapted into a series by Kirstie Swain, known for her work on HBO’s Run. Swain serves as an executive producer alongside Purnell, Krissie Ducker, Laura Jayne Tunbridge, Selena Lim, and director Ella Jones. Additionally, Sky Studios’ Manpreet Dosanjh, Fanboy’s Patrick Walters, and See-Saw Films’ Helen Gregory, Iain Canning, and Emile Sherman are also executive producers.