A new detective drama is in the making, offering a dark and thrilling modern reinvention of the Sherlock Holmes universe. The forthcoming series, provisionally titled Moriarty, will be a "modern reinvention series focusing on [Sherlock's] arch nemesis James Moriarty."
Production and Concept
Freemantle and Archery Pictures are joining forces on the new project, describing the drama as a "modern reinvention of the crime procedural, based on the most famous villain in all of detective fiction." In this adaptation, Moriarty is a Professor of Criminal Psychology at Durham University, yet maintains a clandestine double life as the "mastermind behind every crime of sophistication in the North of England."
Plot Details
According to Deadline, the series synopsis states: "When a rival criminal begins an assault on his underground empire, Moriarty will have only one choice: to join the police as a consultant, using the law as a weapon to dismantle his foe while keeping his true identity hidden from the police." Paired with Detective Imogen Burrows, a stoic Yorkshire detective, they'll form a fearsome team, but Moriarty will soon realise that the real threat isn't the rival criminal faction he's dismantling.
Casting and Previous Portrayals
Currently, the actor portraying the lead character remains unknown, though the role has been interpreted in numerous other Sherlock adaptations. Andrew Scott memorably portrayed him in the acclaimed BBC drama Sherlock, while Dónal Finn took on the role in the recently launched Young Sherlock on Prime Video. Ralph Fiennes, Jared Harris, Eric Porter, and Randall Park have also portrayed the infamous character throughout the years.
Producer's Statement
Archery founder Kris Thykier stated: "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."
Fan Reactions
Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts flocked to X, previously Twitter, to express their views on the recent announcement. One commented: "A Moriarty-focused series actually sounds really interesting. Exploring the mind of Sherlock's greatest rival could give a completely different feel from the usual detective stories. If done well, this could become one of the darker and smarter adaptations in the Sherlock universe." On Reddit, another enthusiast remarked: "There's a really interesting angle here to do a dark twist on your typical police procedurals and have Moriarty oversee various crimes and criminal schemes every episode, or over several. Just please don't make him too sympathetic, it loses the fun of something like that if he's a 'bad guy' but everyone is worse."
Moriarty remains in development and there is no confirmed streaming platform or release date.
