UK broadcaster on board as Pure Fiction project seeks US partner
Sky Studios has boarded Pure Fiction’s adaptation of Ben Aaronovitch’s epic fantasy novel Rivers of London.
It is understood the pay-TV giant is the UK commissioner on the series, which was the first project to emerge from Tom Winchester’s indie when he launched in July 2022.
Conversations to bring a US partner on-board are said to be ongoing, though no deal has been finalised.
Broadcast revealed last year the series was in the works with a “major buyer” and had set The Gentlemen (Netflix), A Town Called Malice (Sky) and Trust (FX) scribe John Jackson as lead writer.
Rivers of London tells the story of Peter Grant, a young police officer who is recruited into a small branch of the Met that deals with magic and the supernatural.
Pure Fiction, which is backed by See-Saw Films and talent agency Hamilton Hodell, optioned the entire series of nine novels to bring Aaronovitch’s work to screen. The author is exec producing through his Unnecessary Logo label.
As lead writer, Jackson employed a diverse, US-style writers’ room to work on the project to reflect the diversity and experiences of protagonist Grant.
The writers room consisted of Kara Smith, who has written on Sky/HBO Max horror comedy The Baby and Netflix original Lockwood & Co; Tolula Dada, whose credits include BBC3 horror Red Rose and Paramount+ original No Escape; playwright and Man Stroke Woman alum Robin French; I May Destroy You and Temple actor Tobi King Bakare; and The Enfield Haunting (Sky) and Deep State (Fox) writer Joshua St Johnston.
Rivers of London, which has sold over five million copies worldwide, is the latest high-profile novel adaptation Sky Studios has partnered on, having recently launched Carnival’s globe-trotting espionage thriller Day of the Jackal. Earlier this year, it saw success with Synchronicity Films-produced The Tattooist of Auschwitz, based on Heather Morris’ best-seller.
Deadline first reported news that Sky Studios had boarded the project.
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