The Brit 50: Archery Pictures

Need to know: Founded by Kris Thykier in 2014, Archery Pictures has originated commercial projects across film and television, including Bradley Cooper’s Is This Thing On? for Searchlight Pictures and three seasons of Riviera for Sky Atlantic.

It also acts in a production services capacity on TV series including Israeli drama Band Of Spies for Paramount+ and Netflix’s Fate: The Winx Saga, while Thykier was a non-writing EP on projects such as Hijack for Apple TV, Luther: The Fallen Sun for Netflix and Ronan Bennett’s MobLand for Paramount+ and 101 Studios.

“We’ve always believed in having a very strong production element to the business alongside our development slate,” says Thykier, whose Archery team numbers eight. “We’re makers, and I’ve always thought you create opportunity by making things in terms of talent relationships.”

Is This Thing On? has entered the awards fray following showings at the New York and London film festivals and is loosely based on Liverpudlian comedian John Bishop’s own life story of leaving his marketing job behind to become a stand-up comedian. Originally developed by Archery, it was co-produced with Cooper’s production company Lea Pictures, and Disney will release the film in the US on December 19 and in the UK on January 30.

Before then, period drama spoof Fackham Hall hits 1,100 US screens on December 5 via Bleecker Street and day-and-date in the UK via Entertainment Film Distributors. It is the first feature to emerge from Mews Films, Archery’s in-house production label to develop comedy film projects in partnership with Danny Perkins’ Elysian Film Group.

Key personnel: Kris Thykier, founder; Georgina Gordon-­Smith, head of film and TV; Danielle Brandon, head of production; Tim Ellis, CFO.

Incoming: Archery has three unannounced film projects due to go before cameras in 2026: two with Netflix (one of which will be in partnership with Working Title) and a third with Philippe Rousselet’s Vendôme Pictures, the Paris-based banner behind Oscar winner Coda.

On the TV development slate is Breaking Eden, penned by Slow Horses writing pair Mark Denton and Jonny Stockwood and set up with A&E and Range Media Partners, and a limited series adaptation of Ned Beauman’s eco-thriller novel Venomous Lumpsucker.

The company is also partnering with the Jeffrey Archer estate for one film and one series adaptation of the British ex-politician’s novels.

Kris Thykier says: “Ten years ago, I made a conscious move into television because at the time I felt the market for the movies that I wanted to make – smart, commercial, international movies in the $25m-$35m budget range – seemed to be decimated. We’ve had a pretty strong run of television and, in between, we had films like Operation Mincemeat come through, but I do feel that there is interest and opportunity returning to film. I’m more excited about film now than I have been in a long time.”

Contact: hello@archerypictures.com 

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