It’s the beginning of the 20th Century. Smart, bold, 14-year-old Theodosia Throckmorton is the daughter of two intrepid Egyptologists and lives in London’s famous Museum of Legends and Antiquities. When Theo and her younger brother, invention-mad Henry, stumble on a mysterious artefact, the Eye of Horus, in a hidden tomb, Theo unlocks the power to see and perform true magic and discovers a whole new world of mystery and danger.
Back in Edwardian London, Theo must do battle with ancient forces, dark magic and comic chaos as she and her amateur-inventor brother, Henry – along with their friends, street magician, Will, and Egyptian princess, Safiya – try to survive teenage life and Edwardian education at the same time as saving the world.
Format:
Season 1: 26 x 26′
Season 2: 26 x 26′
Genre/Subgenre:
Junior / Live Action
Target Audience:
Tween / Teen 10+
Focus:
An exciting mix of adventure and magic where a group of teens attempt to fight a powerful secret society set on destroying the world with ancient Egyptian dark magic.
Key Words:
Magic, Adventure, Mystery, Fantasy, Comedy, Friendship, Ancient Egypt, Archeology.
Inquisitive, brave and decisive. Theo has a thirst for knowledge and won’t stop until she finds what she’s looking for. It can get her into trouble but she considers that a minor inconvenience in her quest for the truth. She likes doing things on her own but that will have to change if she’s going to save the world. She’ll need her friends as much as her self-confidence as she grapples with magic, mummies and romance.
Inventive, gawky and boisterous. Theo’s younger brother loves making gadgets, he dreams of being bigger than Edison and hopes to one day build a rocket ship to the moon. He hates being seen as the baby of the family, especially by his not-so-secret crush, Safiya. It makes him take unwise risks to prove himself which often backfire in spectacular ways.
Resourceful, resilient and charming. Will helps his mum pay the rent by entertaining the crowds as a street magician. He never complains about his lot in life, he’s too busy living in the moment and seizing every opportunity that comes his way. At first he joins Theo hoping to learn real magic but when he sees the enemies she’s battling he puts aside his own ambition to help her win the fight.
Audacious, fun-loving and witty. Safiya is proud to be a princess and sees nothing wrong with having a taste for the finer things in life. She speaks multiple languages, has a deep artistic sense and could be an excellent student… but why spend your time with your head in a book when you can be shopping for a new dress? Home-schooling with Theo and Henry is the last thing she wants to be doing, at least until they start skipping class to fight the Serpents of Chaos. This museum might be fun after all!
Enthusiastic, studious and optimistic. Following in the footsteps of his father, he’s a dedicated archeologist on the hunt for a big discovery. A devoted husband and father, he can be overprotective at times, something Theo really doesn’t appreciate, especially when it’s slowing her down on her mission to save the world.
Adventurous, progressive and tolerant. A talented American archeologist, determined to succeed in a male dominated field that thinks women shouldn’t dig in the dirt, it’s not ladylike. She’s a caring mother who wants to set a good example for her kids to show them what’s possible when you put your mind to it.
Inquisitive, witty and tenacious. A born newshound, she starts the school newspaper and runs it single-handedly. She tries to recruit more reporters but no-one else cares about real news, only celebrity gossip. When Theo tries to get herself expelled on day one, Maya smells a story and goes after it. Discovering magic is real challenges everything she believes in but she knows she’s got the biggest scoop in history. Deciding not to publish in order to protect Theo goes against all her instincts. She does something she vowed never to do, she becomes part of the story. Theo (and us) suspect that Maya could be the Eternal Flame.
Mercurial, flirtatious and effortlessly cool. At first he seems like the standard school heartthrob, all the girls want to date him and all the boys want to be like him. He’s more mature and sophisticated than others his age which gives him an edge. He sets the trends that everyone else follows. When he shows an interest in Theo and she ignores him, he goes after her. We assume it’s just for the challenge as no-one has ever resisted his charms before. When he’s injured by Theo’s magic he appears to be an innocent bystander caught up in the adventure. It’s only at the end we discover he’s the Eternal Flame, a shapeshifting immortal, keeping a careful watch on Theo to make sure she never finds the oasis, the source of his own power. He develops a genuine affection for her which is why in the end he lets her go. He’s a dangerous enemy with vast power and he’s only just getting started.
Extrovert, outrageous and hilarious. When she sees something or someone she wants she goes after it. She falls for Will watching his magic shows and tells her friends she’s set her sights on him. The fact he has a girlfriend is only a minor inconvenience, she thinks Theo is no match for her. Her chance comes when Will is looking for a new assistant and she makes sure he picks her for the job. She’s a natural performer and they make a great double act on stage. She pushes him to attempt bigger tricks and talks him into the death-defying stunt that nearly kills him. Overcome with guilt she encourages him to get back together with Theo. Theo (and us) suspect that Josie could be the Eternal Flame.
SEASON 1
Produced by:
Cottonwood Media
Producers:
David Michel, Zoé Carrera Allaix, Cécile Laurenson
Cast:
Eloise Little, Nana Agyeman-Bediako, Yasmina El-Abd, and Frankie Minchella
Writer:
Joe Williams
Director:
Matthias Hoene, Alex Jacob, Matt Bloom
Copyright:
Theodosia © 2022 Cottonwood Media – ZDF – ZDF Studios.
All rights reserved.
A COTTONWOOD MEDIA production
In co-production with ZDF and ZDF Studios GmbH, Be-FILMS and Umedia
In association with HBO Max, Globoplay and uFund
With the support of the federal government of Belgium’s Tax Shelter and the Tax Shelter Investors and Creative Europe – MEDIA Programme of the European Union.
Photography Nicolas Velter / Creation Rysk
SEASON 2
Produced by:
Cottonwood Media
Producers:
Cécile Laurenson, David Michel, Zoé Carrera Allaix
Cast:
Eloise Little, Nana Agyeman-Bediako, Frankie Minchella
Writer:
Joe Williams
Directors:
Alexander Jacob, Matt Bloom, Leila Smith
Copyright:
© 2023 Cottonwood Media – ZDF – ZDF Studios – All rights reserved – Photography Nicolas Velter – Creation Silenzio
A COTTONWOOD MEDIA production
In co-production with ZDF, ZDF Studios GmbH and Be-FILMS
In association with BBC, Umedia and uFund
With the support of the federal government of Belgium’s Tax Shelter and the Tax Shelter Investors
Co-funded by the Creative Europe Media Programme of the European Union.
Photography {Name of the photographer} / Creation Silenzio.
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