J.K. Rowlingis headed back to the big screen next month with the release of the highly anticipated wizarding world extensionFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, but she’s also heading back to the small screen in short order. Rowling’s first major novel after theHarry Potterseries, the politically tingedThe Casual Vacancy, was adapted into a miniseries by BBC and HBO in 2015, and now HBO has landed yet another TV series adaptation of a J.K. Rowling book.
We learned in 2014 that Rowling’s series of Cormoran Strike mystery novels was to be adapted for the small screen by the BBC, and now Deadline reports that HBO is once again partnering with BBC on the project, bringingCormoran Striketo U.S. airwaves.
AfterCasual Vacancy, Rowling wanted to continue writing without the pressure of being “J.K. Rowling” so she released a mystery novel calledThe Cuckoo’s Callingunder a pseudonym, Robert Galbraith. Unfortunately the secret didn’t last long, but Rowling has since penned two more installments in the series with a fourth on the way in 2017. The books follow a surly war veteran turned private detective operating out of a tiny office in London who, along with his assistant/partner Robin, solves a series of high-profile crimes against all odds.
For this TV adaptation, dubbedCormoran Strike, HBO and BBC are crafting three separate event series out of the three novels.The Cuckoo’s Callingwill be a three-hour event, whileThe SilkwormandCareer of Evilwill each run for two hours.Tom Burke(War and Peace) has been set to star as the titular detective, and filming begins this fall in London.
Michael Keilor(Line of Duty) will directThe Cuckoo’s Calling, withBen Richards(The Tunnel) penning the first two installments andTom Edge(The Last Dragon Slayer) handling the screenplay forCareer of Evil.
As a huge fan of these books (they area blast) I’m curious to see how they translate to the small screen. Rowling is serving as an executive producer on the show, but she’s plenty busy having penned the script forFantastic Beastswithplans for four more films in the franchise, which introduces audiences to the Wizarding World of America in the 1920s.
