Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are reuniting, but not onscreen. The duo have eaten their last Cornetto ice cream (metaphorically, they probably enjoy them plenty in real life), and have moved on to developing projects behind the scenes. Their latest project is a TV adaptation of the epic fantasy novels Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch. Pegg and Frost will be developing a Rivers of London TV series through their new production company Stolen Picture.
Deadline broke the news that Pegg and Frost are developing a Rivers of London TV series through their Stolen Picture production company, bringing the epic fantasy drama following an ordinary police constable turned magician’s apprentice who solves crimes across the British capital. Part mystery thriller, part fantasy caper, the urban fantasy series seems ripe for a small-screen adaptation, especially with a new place for the next high-concept fantasy show about to open up with the end of Game of Thrones.
Here is the synopsis for the first Rivers of London book, known as Midnight Riot:
Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit, where the biggest threat he’ll face is a paper cut. But Peter’s prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder, when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost. Peter’s ability to speak with the lingering dead brings him to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny. Now, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.
Frost and Pegg will be working to develop the series with Aaronovitch, who will serve as executive producer alongside the duo and Stolen Picture’s Miles Ketley. But Aaronovitch seems to place much trust in Frost and Pegg, who will be bringing Rivers of London to life after several failed adaptation attempts.
“I’ve worked in television before so I was wary of sticking my head back into that lion’s den. It was a difficult thing to sell so that it wouldn’t get horribly butchered, and television up to now has had a lot of difficulties. [But] how could I say no [to Pegg and Frost]?” Aaronovitch told Deadline.
Pegg, who had a hand in writing Edgar Wright’s beloved Cornetto Trilogy that he and Frost became known for, said that they were able to endear themselves to Aaronovitch because they were all writers. And TV is the writer’s medium, after all. “As a writer, I understand what it’s like for someone to use you as a springboard rather than use your vision and it’s good to have writers involved as producers because they get it and we want to make a faithful adaptation that is a true reflection of the book,” Pegg said.
The Rivers of London series adaptation will be one of the first projects that Stolen Picture is developing following its inception 19 months ago. The company has been backed by Sony and already has two other series under its belt, which are set to being principal photography this year. There’s no set date or network yet for Rivers of London.
The post Simon Pegg and Nick Frost Are Working on a TV Series Adaptation of Fantasy Books ‘Rivers of London’ appeared first on /Film.
from /Film http://bit.ly/2GJai2M
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