'The Dream Lands' a Step Closer to Reality with Cast Reveal
Pascale Kann as September and Mia Tharia as July in 'September Says'
MUBI
It's been over a year since the BBC's Director of Drama, Lindsay Salt, bravely stood in front of an audience at the BBC unveiling of its planned 2024-2025 slate with 11 brand new series, and spoke about the need to take risks. However, apparently some of the shows presented that day were deemed too risky, and have disappeared into development hell, driven not by creative differences, but a lack of funding. The "BBC Funding Crisis" has been the subject of multiple hearings and rumors since Labour took over the government, much of it playing up the angle in hopes of more funds written into its next 99-year charter. But it's also shaken loose a few titles still waiting to move forward, like The Dream Lands.
Not all of Salt's shows announced in February 2024 disappeared, mind you. The Listeners, for example, aired in November 2024 on the BBC (though no word on a U.S. streaming home yet). Lions got picked up for co-production by HBO, changed its name to Half Man, and recently announced its cast. This City is Ours is gearing up to debut this spring, as is Reunion. However, some of the most ambitious shows, like Dear England, The Ministry of Time, and The Dream Lands, have sat on the shelf. The hearings confirmed Dear England was on hold due to money, and perhaps The Dream Lands was too. However, thankfully the latter has been resolved.
Based on the 2021 apocalyptic fiction best seller by Rosa Rankin-Gee, Dreamland, the series is set among forced migration and rising sea levels. The series stars 17-year-old center of the family Chance, her big brother JD, and their addict mother Jas. Their group eventually adds Chance's BFF Davey, her crush Francesca aka Franky, JD’s business partner Kole, and a baby boy named Blue in a coming of age tale about survival as the Earth's climate collapses.
Pascale Kann, Anna Friel, Connor Swindells, Clara Rugaard, Katherine Parkinson, and Golda Rosheuvel will star in 'The Dream Lands'
Headshots provided by the BBC
Here's the series synopsis:
Set in a near-future Margate, against a backdrop of soaring inequality, it’s 2039, temperatures are soaring, seas are rising, and the political climate is equally as menacing. Chance is living a life of crime just to get by, when her community is singled out for a government rejuvenation scheme, promising to bring her coastal town back to life. But when Chance falls in love with Franky, a girl with ties to the establishment, she and those closest to her begin to realise that all may not be as it seems.
The Dream Lands is a thrilling voyage of romantic awakening and self-discovery, a defiant community fighting back. A high stakes relationship drama set against a backdrop of conspiracy, the story blazes with the enduring power of love and hope, in a world spinning out of control.
Pascale Kann (September Says) stars as Chance, with Jacob Greenway (Father Brown) as JD, Anna Friel (Marcella) as Jas, Connor Swindells (SAS Rogue Heroes) as Kole, Clara Rugaard (The Crow Girl) as Francesca, Tareq Al-Jeddal (Ridley) as Nye, and Ruby Bridle (So Awkward) as Nugget. Supporting cast includes Katherine Parkinson (Rivals) as Antonia, Raphael Sowole (The Great) as Trevor, Golda Rosheuvel (Bridgerton) as Iona, and Scarlett Rayner (Trying) as Stevie.
Kayleigh Llewellyn adapted all episodes of The Dream Lands from Rankin-Gee's novel. Directors Erika Calmeyer and Myriam Raja split helming duties across the show's six episodes, with Jon Jennings producing. The series is executive produced by Llewellyn, Rankin-Gee, Naomi de Pear & Holly Pullinger for SISTER, and Rebecca Ferguson for the BBC.
The Dream Lands is now filming in Margate and Bristol and is expected to arrive on the BBC before the end of 2025.
