Hope everyone had a great weekend! It's Monday again, and that means it's time for the latest crime drama roundup:
MOVIES
Anonymous Content has partnered with Made In Africa Films on In The Garden Of The King to be directed by Paul Ian Johnson from his own script. The story focuses on events surrounding the little-known genocide of the Congolese people by King Leopold II of Belgium between 1885-1908 and is told through the eyes of three protagonists, each living in different parts of the world in different eras: a present-day Belgian aid worker; a Victorian shipping merchant and a colonial Congo girl warrior.
Saban Films has acquired North American distribution rights to Killing Gunther, the action comedy written and directed by former Saturday Night Live regular Taran Killam and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. The plot centers on Gunther (Schwarzenegger), the world’s greatest hitman who’s also arrogant, a show-off, and steals jobs. The assassin community is tired of it and a group of eccentric killers from across the globe come together to set the perfect trap. But their plan quickly turns into a series of embarrassing fails as Gunther always appears one step ahead.
Paramount Pictures announced the premiere date for the Ang Lee-directed Gemini Man, now set for October 4, 2019. The Gemini Man project stars Will Smith and is being produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and executive produced by Don Murphy. The story centers on an assassin who faces off against himself, a clone who is 25 years younger and in his prime.
If you like heist movies, Mashable compiled a video compilation of clips from the "Top 10 of all time."
TELEVISION/STREAMING SERVICES
CBS is adapting J.D. Barker's novel The Fourth Money, which was published last month, into a series written and produced by Taylor Elmore (Justified, Limitless) and directed by Marc Webb (The Amazing Spider-Man). The story centers on the Four Monkey Killer who has terrorized the residents of Chicago. When his body is found, the police quickly realize he was on his way to deliver one final message, one which proves he has taken another victim who may still be alive. As the lead investigator on the 4MK task force, Detective Sam Porter knows even in death, the killer is far from finished.
BBC Studios is lining up TV adaptations of author Ken Follett’s World War II novel Jackdaws and Frederick Forsyth’s terrorist thriller The Kill List. Jackdaws will be pitched to partners as a returning series rather than as a one-off, with the action moved back several years from the book, with Follett’s approval, to provide room for the story to develop over multiple seasons. A film version of The Kill List was in the works, but BBC Studios is prepping a TV series based on the 2013 novel, which may be Forsyth’s last as he switches his focus to nonfiction.
The Beeb also announced more of the cast for Ordeal By Innocence, the first Agatha Christie adaptation under a 2016 deal struck between BBC One and Agatha Christie Productions for seven dramas based on the author’s works. Bill Nighy, Catherine Keener, Matthew Goode, and Ed Westwick were added to the adaptation of the tale of the murder of wealthy philanthropist at her family estate, Sunny Point.
UK's Channel 4, meanwhile, is prepping a new six-part crime thriller set in 2003 Baghdad after the fall of Saddam Hussein, Baghdad Central, adapted from a book by Elliott Colla.
Also coming soon from Channel 4 is the child kidnap drama Kiri from Harry Potter and National Treasure writer Jack Thorne. The four-part drama stars Sarah Lancashire and examines the abduction and death of a young black girl named Kiri who is soon to be adopted by her white foster family. Lancashire plays experienced social worker Miriam, who is blamed for Kiri's disappearance.
Capa Drama, the French production company behind costume drama Versailles and International Emmy-winning series Braquo, is developing Dolce Vita, a fantasy thriller set in 1950s and ’60s Italy, and Thanksgiving, a spy drama. Dolce Vita will depict an imaginary war between the Vatican and a powerful clan of vampires that has been raging for centuries and follows a character propelled into the midst of the war while a string of religious crimes shakes modern Italy’s Golden Age. Thanksgiving is a spy drama centering on the marriage between a Frenchman and American woman who are keeping secrets from each other.
Matt Nicholas’ Rebel Maverick has acquired rights to Nightmare in Detroit: A Rebellion and Its Victims, to develop as a TV mini or event series. The 1968 book by Burleigh Hines and former CBS News President Van Gordon Sauter documents the July 1967 Detroit riots and its victims.
Ava DuVernay (Queen Sugar) is teaming with Participant Media, Harpo Films and Tribeca Productions to bring the notorious true story of the Central Park Five jogger case to Netflix for premiere in 2019. The five-episode narrative limited scripted series is based on the true story of the 1989 case of five teenagers who were wrongfully convicted of raping a woman in New York’s Central Park.
Former Training Day star Katrina Law is set as the female lead opposite Sean Bean in Crackle’s upcoming drama series The Oath, executive produced by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson (Power) and his G-Unit Film & Television. Written and created by former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Joe Halpin (Hawaii Five-O, Secrets and Lies), the 10-episode original series explores a world of gangs made up of those sworn to protect and defend and sheds light on corrupt and secret societies that are nearly impossible to join. Only a select few make the cut – but once inside, members will do what they must to protect one another from enemies on the outside and from within their own ranks.
A trailer was released for Jason Bateman’s upcoming drama Netflix series Ozark, which takes place in the dark and dangerous world of drug-money laundering. The present-day story revolves around financial planner Marty Bird (Bateman), his wife Wendy (Laura Linney) and their family’s sudden relocation from the suburbs of Chicago to a summer resort community in the Missouri Ozarks. Rather than the familiar skyscrapers and trading floors, Ozark explores capitalism, family dynamics and survival through the eyes of anything-but-ordinary Americans.
PODCASTS/VIDEO/RADIO
Louise Penney joined CBS Sunday Morning for a discussion about how she overcame alcoholism and turned to writing crime novels, as well as the recent death of late husband.
Debbie Mack's Crime Cafe is back for its Third Season, which kicks off with a discussion with thriller author Sue Coletta about her Mayhem series, Grafton County series and more. (Alternate link if you don't have iTunes.)
A Stab In The Dark host Mark Billingham spoke with Sherlock’s Mark Gatiss about his love of horror, Agatha Christie and how he and Steven Moffat came up with the idea for a modern Sherlock Holmes. Plus, Paul Hirons, also chatted with Murdoch Mysteries' Hélène Joy.
The BBC's Becky Want spoke with JP Delaney, author of the psychological thriller, The Girl Before.
The Radio 2 Book Club host Simon Mayo welcomed journalist and debut author, John Marrs to discuss his new psychological thriller The One.
Crime reviewer and presenter Jake Kerridge is the subject of the latest podcast on Spybrary, discussing the Waterstones promotion Summer of Spies in the run-up to the new John Le Carré novel in September. (HT to Shots)
2nd Sunday Crime welcomed Cara Black to talk about her 17th installment in the Aimee LeDuc series.
Hosts Steve Cavanagh and Luca Veste of Two Crime Writers and a Microphone welcomed special guest, Rowan Coleman, talking about how she started writing, growing up with dyslexia, time travel, and interrupting dogs. They also included a tribute to the amazing Helen Cadbury after her incredibly sad passing last week.
Episode 7 of the Writer Types podcast featured authors Laura Lippman, Brett Battles, Richard Lange, and Sam Wiebe, as well as a short story by Holly West.
Book Riot's Read or Dead podcast hosts Katie and Rincey look at the mystery and thriller books in Amazon's Best Books of the year so far list and question if some of the books on there are actually mysteries.
GAMES
Robert Kirkman's dark comic heist Thief of Thieves is the next Skybound comic to be turned into a video game. The publisher's interactive arm has partnered with Rival Games to tell a story about Celia, protégé of the comic's master thief, Redmond (aka Conrad Paulson).
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