Project Spotlight: The Cage

Note: This project was completed by Jessica Moran under our previous brand, Film & TV Clearances. We are proud to continue supporting award-winning talent as The Media Rights Collective.

Following the significant critical success of The Responder, creator Tony Schumacher returns to the BBC with The Cage, an uncompromising five-part thriller that has quickly become a cornerstone of this season’s television schedule. Produced by the Oscar-winning team at Element Pictures (Normal People, Poor Things), the series offers a high-velocity exploration of desperation and survival within Liverpool’s criminal underworld.

Led by BAFTA-winner Sheridan Smith and Michael Socha (This Is England), the narrative centers on two casino employees whose lives collide when they are discovered stealing from the same safe. The production has been lauded by The Guardian as an "astonishing state-of-the-nation thriller," praised specifically for its atmospheric portrayal of Merseyside and its refusal to rely on genre clichés.

At The Media Rights Collective, we were pleased to provide production clearances for this series. Our role involved ensuring that the various creative elements, from set dressing within the high-stakes casino environment to on-location details across Liverpool, maintained strict legal robustness. By managing these complexities during the production phase, we aimed to provide the creative team with the certainty needed to focus on the series' distinctive, high-energy storytelling.

Directed by Al Mackay (Without Sin), The Cage features a formidable ensemble cast including Barry Sloane, Geraldine James, and Sophie Mensah.

The Cage premiered on BBC One on April 26, 2026. The full series is currently available to stream on BBC iPlayer in the UK, with weekly broadcasts continuing on Sunday evenings at 9:00 pm. International distribution is managed by Fremantle.

We congratulate the cast and the entire team at Element Pictures on the exceptional reception of this series.