Sherlock Holmes’ iconic nemesis is getting his own TV series but one key detail remains missing
Sherlock Holmes’ ultimate arch-enemy is finally stepping out of the detective’s shadow and into the limelight. Fremantle and Archery Pictures have officially announced that a new series focusing on James Moriarty is currently in active development. The project, with a working title, 'Moriarty,' will be a modern reinvention of the classic crime procedural. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote four novels and 56 short stories about Sherlock Holmes, which included supporting characters such as Dr. Watson and Mycroft Holmes.
Many of these characters have already been the subject of independent films and shows, so the infamous villain getting his shot for a solo outing was a matter of time, since Doyle's works are in the public domain now. Previously, Ralph Fiennes, Jared Harris, Randall Park, and Eric Porter have brought the character to life. Dónal Finn is the latest addition to the list, playing a young version of Moriarty in Prime Video's 'Young Sherlock.' However, the most popular and peculiar version of the character remains Andrew Scott’s erratic psychopathic genius in the BBC’s 'Sherlock.'
Chris Cornwell and Oliver Lansley are currently working on the script. Per Deadline, the series will follow the titular character, who is a "Professor of Criminal Psychology at Durham University but leads a secret double life as the mastermind behind every crime of sophistication in the North of England." When his underground empire is threatened by a rival gang, Moriarty joins the police as a consultant, using law enforcement to dismantle his enemies while keeping his true identity hidden. He will pair up with Detective Imogen Burrows, likely operating in a manner similar to Sherlock and Watson. In a twist, "Moriarty will soon realize that the real threat isn’t the rival criminal faction he’s dismantling." The premise turns the standard detective formula on its head, forcing the villain to embrace the law while keeping his true identity concealed from his colleagues.
The founder of Archery Pictures, Kris Thykier, expressed his excitement about working with Fremantle and the project with the same outlet: “We are thrilled to be working with Fremantle to bring to life the original and character-driven spin-off from the Sherlock Holmes universe that Chris Cornwell has created," he said. "Moriarty will show audiences what it takes to be a criminal genius, combining genre thrills with a playful, dark, and thrilling dive into the psychology of villainy." The SVP of Scripted Content at Fremantle, Rebecca Dundon, expressed mutual excitement: “We’ve been looking for a project to work with Archery on for a while, and when Kris brought this to us, we instantly saw huge potential for a commercial, returning franchise that brings to life one of the more elusive characters in the Sherlock world." A formal release date or casting announcement has not been made yet.
