A Town Called Malice release date, cast and first look revealed for Sky’s new ’80s crime thriller

Sky has revealed the release date and first look for its brand new drama A Town Called Malice.

The new eight-part series is described as a “raucous crime thriller and family saga set on the Costa Del Sol in the early 1980s, with a pulsating ’80s soundtrack.”

A Town Called Malice is created by Nick Love (Bulletproof, The Sweeney), who is also the lead writer on the series.

It follows the Lords, a crime family of petty thieves from South London who have fallen to the bottom of the criminal food chain.

The Lord family is headed up by Jason Flemyng (Save Me, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) as Albert Lord, Jack Rowan (Born to Kill) as Gene Lord, Tahirah Sharif (The Haunting of Bly Manor) joins as Cindy Carter, Gean’s girlfriend, and Martha Plimpton (Mass, The Good Wife) as Mint Ma.

They will be joined by wider family members Dougray Scott (Ever After, Mission: Impossible 2) as Uncle Tony, Lex Shrapnel (Captain America) as Leonard Lord, Daniel Sharman (Fear the Walking Dead, Medici) as Kelly Lord, George Jaques (The Third Day: Autumn) as Anthony Lord and Eliza Butterworth (The Last Kingdom) as Carly Lord.

A Town Called Malice premieres on Sky Max and NOW on 16 March 2023.

A synopsis shares: “The smartest, but overlooked, youngest son, Gene (Rowan), and his fearless fiancée, Cindy (Sharif) flee to Spain to evade arrest after narrowly surviving a gangland battle.

“The lovers quickly find themselves embroiled in the local underworld, and trouble starts to follow these two like night after day.

“When the other Lords join them on the Costa del Sol, the family realises this is a golden opportunity to re-invent themselves and re-capture their former glory – much to the annoyance of Gene and Cindy, who have a very different plan.

“Strongly driven by music, A Town Called Malice’s beating heart is the sound of the 80s.”

Filming on the show, a co-production between Vertigo Films, Rogue State and Sky Studios, began in January 2022.

Nick Love, creator and writer, says: “What an amazing cast. I am so lucky to finally be working with some of my favourite actors and childhood heroes. I couldn’t be more excited to see how they bring the Lord family to life.”

Gabriel Silver, Director of Commissioning, Drama, Sky Studios, said: “If Dallas and Pulp Fiction created a love child to the strains of Duran Duran, it would be A Town Called Malice — an intoxicating cocktail of ‘80s romance, avarice and violence, served up with pineapple chunks and an umbrella…

“Brought to life so brilliantly by Nick Love’s scripts, audiences will be taken back to the vivid world of the Costa Del Sol in its pomp, with a glorious take on the soundtrack of the era. The series is a fantastic addition to our growing line-up of home-grown, British drama on Sky in 2022.”

Jane Moore, CEO of Vertigo Films said: “Vertigo is delighted to be working once again with Sky and our long-time friend and colleague, Nick Love, on this exciting project, and look forward to bringing Nick’s unique vision of the 80s to life on screen.”