It's the start of a new week and that means it's time for a brand-new roundup of crime drama news:
THE BIG SCREEN/MOVIES
Samuel L. Jackson is in talks to star as the President of the United States alongside Joel Kinnaman in the independent action thriller, The Beast, from WME Independent. The film, which has an Interim Agreement from SAG-AFTRA during the strike, centers on the impenetrable presidential limousine — nicknamed "The Beast" by the Secret Service. Stocked with grenades, rigged with shotguns, armor-plated, bullet- and bomb-proof and hermetically sealed, the Beast is a grinding defensive titan. When a militia of unidentified hostiles coordinates a devastating coup against the U.S. presidency, the president (Jackson) uncovers the extent of the Beast’s highly classified offensive capabilities, too. Separated from his wife, the one thing tethering him to his humanity as he tears through a violent wasteland of chaos and carnage, the president must learn to control the Beast — and the monster inside himself — in order to save his life, the life of Secret Service agent Taft (Kinnaman), and the United States of America.
Lionsgate landed an eight-figure deal for domestic rights to the reboot of the 1994 cult classic revenge thriller, The Crow, which memorably starred Brandon Lee in his last film role. Bill Skarsgård (It), singer-songwriter FKA twigs (Honeyboy) and Danny Huston (Succession) lead Rupert Sanders’s reimagining, which is based on the graphic novel created, written, and illustrated by James O’Barr (as was the original film). The movie is expected to be released next year.
The first trailer was released for Amazon Studios' The Burial. The film is directed by Maggie Betts, who also co-wrote the script with Doug Wright, based on the latter’s story and The New Yorker article by Jonathan Harr. In The Burial, when a handshake deal goes sour, funeral homeowner O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) enlists charismatic, smooth-talking attorney Gary (Jamie Foxx) to save his family business from a half-billion-dollar corporation whose brass are none too worried. The businessmen counter with a hotshot attorney of their own — one Mame Downes (Jurnee Smollett), who graduated at the top of her Harvard Law School class and earned the nickname "The Python." Tempers flare between O’Keefe and Gary and doubts arise, but bonding ensues as the unlikely pair expose corporate corruption and racial injustice — while seeking a cool $100 million. The film hits theaters for a one-week run starting October 6 and begins streaming October 13 on Prime Video.
A first-look trailer was also released for Paramount+’s Finestkind from Oscar winner Brian Helgeland. Finestkind tells the story of two brothers (Ben Foster and Toby Wallace), raised in different worlds, who are reunited as adults over a fateful summer. Set against the backdrop of commercial fishing, the story takes on primal stakes when desperate circumstances force the brothers to strike a deal with a violent Boston crime gang. Along the way a young woman (Jenna Ortega) finds herself caught perilously in the middle. Sacrifices must be made and bonds between brothers, friends, lovers, and a father (Tommy Lee Jones) and his son are put to the ultimate test. The film is set for a November premiere exclusively on Paramount+.
A trailer also dropped for David Yates's Pain Hustlers, which begins streaming on Netflix October 27. Emily Blunt stars as Liza Drake, a blue-collar single mom who has just lost her job and is at the end of her rope. A chance meeting with pharmaceutical sales rep Pete Brenner (Chris Evans) puts her on an upwards trajectory economically but dubious path ethically as she becomes entangled in a dangerous racketeering scheme. Dealing with her increasingly unhinged boss (Andy Garcia), the worsening medical condition of her daughter (Chloe Coleman), and a growing awareness of the devastation the company is causing forces Liza to examine her choices.
TELEVISION/SMALL SCREEN
Golden Globe, SAG, and BAFTA award winner, Clive Owen, is stepping into the role of Detective Sam Spade, the protagonist of noir writer Dashiell Hammett’s 1930 classic novel, The Maltese Falcon, in AMC Networks’ Monsieur Spade. The series, which is set in 1963, follows Spade (Owen) as he enjoys a peaceful and quiet retirement in the South of France – until the rumored return of his old adversary changes everything. When six beloved nuns are brutally murdered at a local convent, Spade learns that they are somehow connected to a mysterious child who is believed to possess great powers. Monsieur Spade, which was shot on location in France, will premiere on AMC and AMC+ in early 2024.
The BBC has acquired the Australian crime drama, Scrublands, based on the award-winning novel written by Chris Hammer, for BBC Four and BBC iPlayer. The four-part series is set in an isolated country town, where a charismatic and dedicated young priest (Jay Ryan) calmly opens fire on his congregation, killing five parishioners. One year later investigative journalist, Martin Scarsden (Luke Arnold), arrives in Riversend to write what should be a simple feature story on the anniversary of the tragedy. But when Martin's instincts kick in and he digs beneath the surface, the previously accepted narrative begins to fall apart and he finds himself in a life and death race to uncover the truth. The cast also includes Robert Taylor, Adam Zwar, Zane Ciarma, Victoria Thaine, Stacy Clausen, Genevieve Morris, and newcomer Ella Ferris.
Paramount+ has renewed the drama series, Mayor of Kingstown, for Season 3, following the conclusion of the second season this past March. Created by Taylor Sheridan and Hugh Dillon, Mayor of Kingstown debuted in 2021 and stars Jeremy Renner as the head of the McClusky family who keeps the peace in a town riddled with crime. Dianne Wiest also co-stars in the project. Renner was in a life-threatening snowplow accident back in January of 2023 that left the actor with 30 broken bones and a crushed chest, but has since made a remarkable recovery.
With new seasons of all CBS scripted series delayed by the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the network is looking globally for content, including the addition of NCIS: Sydney, the first international spinoff for a CBS Studios global drama franchise. Episodes will make their U.S. debut on the broadcast network just three days after their worldwide premiere in Australia. NCIS: Sydney will air on CBS Mondays at 10 PM beginning in November, following a rerun of the flagship series at 9 PM. The Aussie version stars American Olivia Swann (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow) and Australian Todd Lasance (Spartacus: War of the Damned).
Fox is bringing in some repeats of 9-1-1: Lone Star to its fall schedule as it tries to remind viewers that scripted drama still has a place on broadcast TV amid the writers and actors strikes. Season 4 of 9-1-1:Lone Star will air starting on Tuesday September 19 at 9 pm.
Masterpiece on PBS has dropped the first images from its production of The Marlow Murder Club, based on Robert Thorogood’s novel of the same name, which premieres in 2024. The drama follows retired archaeologist Judith Potts (Samantha Bond), who lives alone in a faded mansion in the peaceful town of Marlow, filling her time by setting crosswords for the local paper. During one of her regular wild swims in the Thames, Judith hears a gunshot coming from a neighbor’s garden and believes a brutal murder has taken place. When the police are reluctant to believe her story, Judith finds herself forming an unlikely friendship with local dog-walker and empty-nester Suzie (Jo Martin) and unfulfilled vicar’s wife Becks (Cara Horgan) as they start an investigation of their own. Eventually asked to assist with the official police investigation, headed by newly promoted Tanika (Natalie Dew), the women must piece together clues, grill suspect witnesses, and face down real danger as they work against the clock to stop the killer in their tracks.
PODCASTS/VIDEO/RADIO/AUDIO
The Crime Cafe podcast featured Debbi Mack's interview with Edgar Award-winning crime writer, Naomi Hirahara, whose first historical mystery, Clark and Division, won the Mary Higgins Clark Award.
The latest episode of It Was a Dark and Stormy Book Club discussed mysteries featuring libraries and librarians.
On Crime Time FM, Sarah Moorhead chatted with Paul Burke about her new speculative crime thriller, The Treatment; Witness X; Liverpool; teaching, good & evil; the godfather of the northern crime writing scene; young people today; and Wizard of Oz meets Frankenstein.
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