‘The Ark’ Sci-Fi Drama From Dean Devlin Gets Series Order At Syfy

Syfy has handed a 12-episode straight-to-series order to The Ark, from Independence Day writer-producer Dean Devlin and his Electric Entertainment. Stargate SG-1 writer-producer Jonathan Glassner will serve as co-showrunner and executive produce alongside Devlin.

The series will begin production in March at PFI Studios in Belgrade, Serbia, with the premiere date TBD. Casting will get underway shortly. Devlin’s Electric Entertainment International Sales division is selling international rights.

The Ark takes place 100 years in the future when planetary colonization missions have begun as a necessity to help secure the survival of the human race. The first of these missions on a spacecraft known as Ark One encounters a catastrophic event causing massive destruction and loss of life. With more than a year left to go before reaching their target planet, a lack of life-sustaining supplies and loss of leadership, the remaining crew must become the best versions of themselves to stay on course and survive.

“The Ark is a perfect fit for Syfy audiences and we know fans will gravitate to this heart-racing story from Dean Devlin, one of the most accomplished and respected sci-fi writers working today,” said Lisa Katz, President, Scripted Content, NBCU Entertainment and Streaming. “With the recent success of both Resident Alien and Chucky, the network is home to several of the most creative storytellers working in all of television.”

Devlin and Glassner will executive produce alongside Marc Roskin and Rachel Olschan-Wilson of Electric Entertainment. Jonathan English of Balkanic Media will also produce.

Devlin and Glassner previously collaborated on The Outpost, which aired for four seasons on the CW. They both served as executive producers and Devlin’s Electric Entertainment handled international sales.

Both The Outpost and The Ark employ a business model Devlin has used since his TNT series Leverage by which his Electric Entertainment company serves as a studio, finding a linear U.S. network partner while retaining all other rights and selling the shows internationally.

“I’m so excited to have the opportunity to partner with Syfy again and can’t think of a better collaborator than Jonathan Glassner to bring this series to life,” Devlin said.

Glassner is repped by APA,  Echo Lake, and Hanson Jacobson Teller.