The production company behind drama Wallander hopes to replicate the success of the Swedish detective by launching two new television detectives on BBC1 and ITV1.
Left Bank Pictures, run by The Queen producer Andy Harries, has had scripts commissioned for three Aurelio Zen mysteries, written by the late Michael Dibdin, for BBC1 and one Inspector Banks drama, written by Peter Robinson, for ITV1.
The Zen mysteries are set in Italy and feature a middle-aged detective who in the early novels lives with his mother in a Rome apartment.
Ratking is being adapted by Peter Berry, Vendetta by Simon Burke and Dead Lagoon by Patrick Harbinson.
Robinson's 2002 novel Aftermath – one of 16 Inspector Banks mysteries – is being adapted by Robert Murphy for transmission next year.
The film will feature detective chief inspector Alan Banks, who lives in the Yorkshire town of Eastvale. Divorced with two children, he works from the local police station overlooking the town's busy market square.
It is hoped the two detective mysteries could become long-running franchises.
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Thursday, August 13, 2009
Inspectors Zen and Banks on the TV
From The Guardian
Oh dear! I always have mixed feelings when one of my favourite authors has his/her work adapted for film or television. It's good to know someone you admire is going to reach a larger audience (and with luck make a lot of money!). On the other hand you just know that none of the characters will look the way they do in your head, and even with a two hour tv adaptation most of the nuances of plot and personal relationships will (necessarily) disappear.
ReplyDeleteSo I'll be giving Inspector Zen a go, not having read any of the novels, but definitely steering clear of Banks!
This is news heaven! Loved Branagh's Wallander. Hopefully they'll do just as good a job here with two more of my top detective characters. Can't wait to see them on TV. I would have preferred filming A Long Finish to Ratking, though.
ReplyDeleteOh wow - Aftermath? Interesting.