Wonder Project international slate adds Julia Roberts-narrated series
Wonder Project has picked up three U.K. and Irish shows, including Leonard and Hungry Paul, You & Me and new BBC NI comedy Rewarding.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
3 min read
Wonder Project international slate plans are getting a U.K. and Ireland boost, with the company adding three scripted projects that bring Julia Roberts, Russell T. Davies and BBC Northern Ireland into the mix, Variety reported.
The new slate includes the Northern Irish series Leonard and Hungry Paul, narrated by Oscar winner Roberts; the three-part drama You & Me, executive produced by Davies; and Rewarding, a fresh six-episode comedy commission with BBC Northern Ireland.
Tristen Tuckfield, Wonder Project’s head of content acquisition, said the company is drawn to shows from the U.K. and Ireland because their creators have a record of making distinctive work that can travel internationally while keeping its local identity. Tuckfield said Wonder is looking for stories rooted in specific worlds, with people and relationships that make them widely relatable.
What is Wonder Project adding to its international slate?
Leonard and Hungry Paul is a six-part series from Northern Ireland that Wonder has acquired for exclusive U.S. streaming from Avalon. Wonder will present it as a Wonder Project Original.
The series is adapted from the novel of the same name and centers on two board-game-loving friends in their thirties whose quiet suburban routines are disrupted by events that push them toward new possibilities. The cast includes Alex Lawther, Laurie Kynaston and Derry Girls actor Jamie-Lee O’Donnell.
The show previously aired on BBC One Northern Ireland, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. It is a Subotica production for BBC Northern Ireland in association with BBC Comedy, Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland and RTÉ, and a co-production with Avalon.
Adam Barth, Avalon’s senior vice president of scripted and digital distribution, said the company is pleased to work with Wonder after the show’s U.K. reception and international sales, adding that the deal brings the series to U.S. viewers.
When will You & Me stream on Wonder?
You & Me will arrive on Wonder on Aug. 6, with all three episodes debuting at once. Wonder has taken exclusive U.S. premiere rights to the drama, which was made by Happy Prince, part of ITV Studios, and originally produced for ITVX.
The series stars Harry Lawtey and Jessica Barden. According to the project description, it follows love, grief and the chance of happiness after a profound tragedy.
What is Rewarding about?
Rewarding is a six-part comedy set in domiciliary care, following support workers and their disabled and neurodivergent clients. Domiciliary care means support provided to people in their own homes, rather than in a hospital or residential facility.
The series has been commissioned by BBC Northern Ireland and Wonder Project, with support from Northern Ireland Screen. It is made by Conker Pictures, part of Banijay UK, while Banijay Rights will handle international distribution.
The project began as a short pilot through BBC Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland Screen’s Green Lit program, which supports emerging talent across writing, directing, production and acting in Northern Ireland.
Justin Rosenblatt, Wonder Project’s head of global TV, said Rewarding stood out because its creators understand the world they are writing about. He said Matthew McDevitt’s experience in the care system helps shape the show’s humor, detail and emotional truth.
The production includes disabled, neurodivergent and learning disabled talent in key roles. Comedian Vittorio Angelone and Hannah McClean star, and Wonder expects the series to premiere in late 2026.
Eddie Doyle, BBC Northern Ireland’s head of content commissioning, said it was welcome to see both Leonard and Hungry Paul and Rewarding, which were commissioned by BBC Northern Ireland, move toward a wider international audience through Wonder Project.
This story draws on original reporting from Variety.