COMPANY

Carnival Films is one of the UK’s leading drama specialists led by producers Executive Chairman, Gareth Neame, and Managing Director, Nigel Marchant.

Part of Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studios Group, Carnival has produced hundreds of hours of drama that have been broadcast and performed around the world since the company was founded in 1978, garnering over 200 award wins and nominations, including Primetime Emmys®, Golden Globes, BAFTAs, Oscars and TONYs. Carnival’s shows include global phenomenon Downton Abbey, Belgravia for EPIX and ITV with a spinoff series Belgravia: The Next Chapter at MGM+, and the smash-hit series The Last Kingdom for Netflix which captivated viewers for five seasons, it’s follow-up film The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die ranked as the global #1 film on Netflix upon its release in April 2023. The company has also produced landmark series such as Poirot, Hotel Babylon, Whitechapel and Dracula, along with the award-winning mini-series Traffik, Any Human Heart, The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies and The Hollow Crown anthology.

Carnival’s current slate includes an adaptation of Andrea Mara’s best seller All Her Fault for Peacock, Lockerbie: The Search For Truth, a five-part drama about the tragic Lockerbie bombing, and a contemporary reimagining of The Day of the Jackal for Sky and Peacock.

Carnival Films 2017 Sizzle Reel

Carnival is responsible for the television and film sensation Downton Abbey. The first feature film of the same name topped $200m at the box office and set a new opening record for Focus Features, and the sequel Downton Abbey: A New Era was released in 2022. The television series achieved numerous accolades including winning three Golden Globes and fifteen Primetime Emmy awards, including Best Mini-Series. It is the most nominated non-US show in the history of the Emmys with a total of 69 nominations and is distributed in over 250 territories worldwide. Among numerous national and international awards, including three Screen Actors Guild Awards and four National Television Awards, the show has even garnered a Guinness World Record for highest critical ratings for a TV show, and a BAFTA Special Award in recognition of its outstanding global success.

Carnival has been recognised as best production company at both the Bulldog Awards and Broadcast Awards.