Stephen Poliakoff returns to big TV drama with thriller The Order
Stephen Poliakoff, the critically acclaimed writer who has won multiple BAFTAs and Emmys, returns to big-screen television with the recently announced “The Order,” an international political thriller set in the months leading up to and during the Great Siege of Malta in 1565.
The eight-part series was announced by Malta Film Commissioner Johann Grech at the Mediterranean Film Festival’s annual Golden Bee Awards ceremony.
Based on the critically acclaimed novel by Peter Portelli, “The Order” will be set against the backdrop of one of history’s most consequential conflicts.
“’The Order’ is the extraordinary collision of politics, faith, ambition and survival at a moment when the fate of nations was at stake,” Poliakoff said. “It’s a story about people facing enormous pressure and impossible choices, set in one of the most dramatic periods in history.”
The series is produced by Little Island Productions and Hopefield in association with the Malta Film Commission. The project is set and filmed in Malta and will use the island as its main production base. The project is in active development and production is expected to start in 2027.
“The Order” marks the return to epic TV for Poliakoff, best known for miniseries like “Perfect Strangers” and “Shooting the Past” and films like “Close My Eyes,” blending large-scale international stories with the intimate character-driven stories that have defined his career. Executive producers are Helen Flint for Little Island Productions, Neil Chordia for Hopefield, Nick Portelli and Peter Portelli.
“’The Order’ represents exactly the kind of ambitious, internationally resonant television drama that Malta is increasingly attracting and supporting,” said Grech. “We are proud to be working with Stephen Poliakoff, Peter Portelli, Helen Flint, Neil Chordia and their teams on a project that brings together exceptional creative talent with Malta’s unique history, locations and production expertise.”
Helen Flint, CEO and executive producer of Little Island Productions, added: “Stephen Poliakoff is one of our most distinctive and visionary playwrights, with an extraordinary ability to bring pivotal moments in history to life through deeply human storytelling. ‘The Order’ is a riveting and brutal political thriller with remarkable scale and ambition, but at its core it is driven by character, intrigue and the human consequences of power.”
Neil Chordia, executive producer of Hopefield, said: “‘The Order’ has all the ingredients of a compelling international drama: a remarkable true historical backdrop, political intrigue and a story that feels strikingly relevant today. Stephen’s vision is richly detailed and deeply compelling, and Malta is at the heart of that vision, bringing to life a fascinating chapter of history through its extraordinary geography and architecture.”
Further announcements regarding casting, direction, financing and international distribution will be made in due course.
