After a lack of success with some of her previous adaptations, the queen of crime Agatha Christie is returning to BBC One who have just ordered a two part series based on her MURDER IS EASY novel produced by Mammoth Screen.
THE STORY
is set in England, 1954. On a train to London, a man going by
the name of Luke Fitzwilliam meets Miss Pinkerton, who tells him that a
killer is on the loose in the sleepy English village of Wychwood under
Ashe.
The villagers believe the deaths are mere accidents, but Miss Pinkerton
knows otherwise - and when she's later found dead on her way to Scotland
Yard, Luke feels he must find the killer before they can strike again.
Because for a certain kind of person, murder is easy. Previous BBC
adaptations And Then There Were None, The Witness For The Prosecution, Ordeal By Innocence, The ABC Murders and The Pale Horse were not overly successful.
I know that some of you like detective series and some of you historical ones, but what would you say about a series that follows a private detective
The number of episodes is not yet known
in Ancient Rome? That is what Poldark's and Victoria's Mammoth Screen is currently doing for British ITV: they are going to adapt Lindsey Davis FALCOnovels into a TV show which was originally supposed to be done over at rival BBC.
Started back in 1989 with The Silver Pigs each of the twenty novels
tells a self contained story about Marcus Didius Falco, a fictional
Roman private detective who investigates crimes and acts as an often
reluctant imperial agent. As Deadline reports, Falco is described as a
laid-back operator whose adventures take place across the Roman Empire
in 70 AD and beyond. As the books progress, Falco gets married, has
children and acquires a dog named Nux.
Cry not Poldark lovers, not because the series is returning again next year with season five, but because its producer Mammoth Screen is preparing
Poldark's scribe is working on the new series
another epic saga for us! They are currently working with Poldark's writer Debbie Horsfield on adapting Alexandre Dumas' 19th century novel THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO
As 'Deadline' reports, the story, will be set between 1815 and 1839
in France and Italy. It follows the Bourbon Restoration through the
reign of Louis Philippe of France ahead of the Hundred Days period, when
Napoleon returned to power. It is an adventure story following a man
who is wrongfully imprisoned, escapes from jail, acquires a fortune, and
sets about exacting revenge on those responsible for his imprisonment.
1ST 'THE AERONAUTS'
SET PHOTOS WITH EDDIE REDMAYNE AND FELICITY JONES
Speaking of epic things, check out the first photos that have appeared around the net of Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones in Tom Harper's historical adventure THE AERONAUTS in which they play pilot Amelia
This is the second time they star together after The Theory of Everything
Wren and scientist James Glaisher who find themselves in an epic fight for survival while attempting to make discoveries in a hot air balloon.
After a number of photos and a teaser, we finally have the first trailer and character photos from ITV's new period set series VANITY FAIR which will
Olivia Cooke the star of Spielberg's Ready Player One takes the lead
start airing this September in United Kingdom! Brand new costume drama based on William Thackeray's
famous novel, has the story set in the
First look at the lead cast of the new Vanity Fair series!
Napoleonic era following the destiny of resourceful Becky Sharp played
by Olivia Cooke. Check out the trailer below and first cast photos!
NEW VANITY FAIR The seven part drama coming from Poldark's and Victoria's Mammoth Screen,
is set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic
Wars, and follows
After airing on ITV in UK, Vanity Fair will air on Amazon too in US
modern heroine Becky Sharp as she attempts to claw
her way out of poverty and scale the heights of English Society. Her
story of villainy, crime,
The saga is based on William Thackeray's classic novel
merriment, lovemaking, jilting, laughing,
cheating, fighting and dancing, takes her all the way to the court of
King George IV, via the Battle of Waterloo, breaking hearts and losing
fortunes as she goes.
A RATHER STELLAR CAST INDEED
Her main love interest daft Captain Rawdon Crawley is played by Tom Bateman with Charlie Rowe as poor soldier George Osborne, Johnny
Claudia Jessie is Becky's confidante Amelia Sedley
Flynn as Dobbin, Martin Clunes as Sir Pitt Crawley, Frances de La Tour as Miss Matilda Crawley, Suranne Jones as snobbish Miss Pinkerton and
Charlie Rowe as George Osborne and Johnny Flynn as William Dobbin
Michael Palin as Thackeray himself. Claudia Jessie will play Becky’s confidante Amelia Sedley, with Simon Russell Beale and Claire Skinner
Vanity Fair will air in seven hourlong episodes
as her parents, and David Fynn as her brother Joss.Shot on locations around United Kingdom and Hungarian capitol Budapest, the series will later on also air on Amazon in USA!
ELEANOR TOMLINSON AND RAFE SPALL TO LEAD BBC MINI SERIES
Brilliant first photo and cast announcement come from Mammoth Screen and BBC's new three part series adaptation of H.G. Wells' sf classic WAR OF THE WORLDS! Rafe Spall and Eleanor Tomlinson are joined by Rupert Graves and Robert Carlyle in the cast!
ALIEN INVASION IS HERE! Set in Edwardian England, the first alien invasion story in literature follows George
(Rafe Spall) and his partner Amy (Eleanor Tomlinson) as they
attempt to defy society and start a life together. Rupert Graves is
Frederick, George's elder brother, and Robert Carlyle plays Ogilvy, an
astronomer. THE WAR OF THE WORLDS tells their story as
they face the escalating terror of an alien invasion, fighting for their
lives against an enemy beyond their comprehension.
'FAHRENHEIT 451' TRAILER
MICHAEL B. JORDAN REMAKE
Meanwhile, HBO has released full trailer for their television movie FAHRENHEIT 451 which airs May 19th, starring Michael B. Jordan as Guy Montag, a fireman in a dystopian future society in which books are
The remake will hit HBO next Month!
banned and his job is to burn them. But he soon begins questioning the process and his mentor, Captain Beatty, played by Michael Shannon.
Massive news coming from ITV today! They will join Mammoth Screen, who is doing Victoria, Poldark and Vanity Fair, in adapting classic novel TOM JONES into a new period set series! The raunchy 1749 novel from Henry Fielding follows often very scandalous and bawdy sexual exploits and merry adventures of the young and good hearted 18th century foundling Tom Jones in a story full of twists and surprises. As 'Radio Times' reports, the project hasn't been officially greenlit yet, but it is expected to start shooting next year. Screenwriter Gwyneth Hughes who is penning the project thinks the story is ideal for current atmosphere as Tom never sleeps with women who don't want him and is always a perfect gentleman! According to rumours, the studio is negotiating with a big star to take the lead role!
TOM HOLLANDER TO LEAD
'HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME' EPIC TELEVISION SERIES? Speaking of ITV, a few months ago the spy informed you that they are
also preparing historical series on THE HUNCH BACK OF NOTRE DAME and
Tom Hollander is also producing the potential series
now
they're hired Dr Thorne and Taboo's Tom Hollander in the titular role!
He is also producing the adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic with War
and PeaceAndrew Davies penning the script. In the series set in 1482
and following the love between hunchback Quasimodo, the Cathedral’s half
blind and deaf bell-ringer, and a beautiful woman called Esmerelda,
Hollander would play the Hunchback himself. They are currently seeking
for foreign production partners.
'MERMAID & MRS HANCOCK'
TO BE TURNED INTO TV SERIES BY WHITE QUEEN PRODUCERS
The writer got a six digit advance for this one!
Another epic series we can expect is the adaptation of Imogen Hermes Gowar's THE MERMAID AND MRS HANCOCK. Playground Entertainment (Wolf Hall, White Queen) has bought the rights on the 1785 London set novel which follows Jonah Hancock, a prosperous merchant and widower, whose Captain returns having sold Hancock’s ship and cargo in exchange for an extraordinary creature; a mermaid. This mermaid becomes the subject of great curiosity and forges an encounter between Hancock and the desirable courtesan, Angelica Neal. The story describes their intertwined lives. This historical fantasy was sold earlier this year in a race between ten publishing houses for a six number sum.
The series apparently already has the pilot written
We're all epic today, people, starting with the info coming from 'The Guardian' that Tudors, Elizabeth and Vikings creator Michael Hirst is preparing THE CAESARS series with Martin Scorsese which will cover the lives of some of Rome's most famous rulers. The series, expected to start shooting its first season next year in Italy, will tell the story of the early rulers of ancient Rome, beginning with the rise to power of Julius Caesar! Unlike other projects which used to depict him in his mature age, this series would depict him when he was young, ambitious and full of vitality. As you probably remember, Julius Caesar was indeed already shown as a very ambitious young soldier, filled with both political and sexual energy, in super popular Spartacus series.
'THE SINGAPORE GRIP'
ITV & MAMMOTH SCREEN PREPARING ASIAN WW2 DRAMA
The book is a part of the Empire trilogy
Speaking of period set dramas, ITV is teaming up with Poldark's and Victoria's Mammoth Screen to turn J.G. Farrell's WW2 novel THE SINGAPORE GRIP into a six episode series. The story is based around a British family living in Singapore at the time of the Japanese invasion. As 'Deadline' reports, it follows rubber merchant Walter Blackett, his wife Sylvia, ruthless daughter Joan and spoilt son Monty, who live a life of luxury, seemingly untouched by the troubles in Europe. However, the story takes a turn when the son of his business partner Mr Webb becomes involved with his daughter Joan before falling under the spell of Vera Chiang, a mysterious Chinese refugee. Christopher Hampton (Atonement, The Quiet American), who won an Oscar for Dangerous Liaisons, is penning the script.
There Were None, The Witness For The Prosecution, Ordeal By Innocence, The ABC Murders and The Pale Horse were not overly successful.
There Were None, The Witness For The Prosecution, Ordeal By Innocence, The ABC Murders and The Pale Horse were not overly successful.
