Witchery Pictures, a drama label owned by All3Media, is developing a returning series about The Hacienda, an iconic British night club founded by New Order.
Deadline has learned that the company has acquired the rights to The Hacienda: How Not to Run a Club, which was written by New Order and Joy Division bassist Peter Hook in 2009.
It is being adapted into a six-part series by Ed Whitmore, who most recently wrote Manhunt, which became ITV’s highest-rated new drama since the launch of Broadchurch in 2013 when it was watched by 9M viewers. Whitmore has also written for shows including Sky’s Strike Back and the BBC’s Silent Witness.
Hook’s book recounts The Hacienda’s rise and fall in chronological order, with a chapter dedicated to each year of the club’s existence. It was set up in 1982 in Manchester, was bankrolled by New Order, and became the beating heart of the city’s music scene.
It provided the stage for Madonna’s first performance in the UK, hosted bands including The Smiths, Run DMC, and Stone Roses, and its legacy as a cathedral for rave music was celebrated in Michael Winterbottom’s 2002 film 24 Hour Party People.
As well as the good times, the book ultimately chronicles The Hacienda’s demise after it was laid low by gang violence and drugs. More than 20 years on, the club has been converted into a block of apartments.
Witchery Pictures was launched in January last year by Red Planet Pictures execs Siobhan Finnigan and Judith King. It is umbrella-ed by All3Media’s drama producer New Pictures, the firm behind The Missing, Indian Summers and Netflix series The Innocents. Witchery is also developing a musical drama featuring music from Snow Patrol.
