WIRE Buzz: Simon Pegg & Nick Frost fantasy series, Bond 25, Dracula unveils cast

Crickey! British cops, British secret agents and British vampires make up this U.K.-centric edition of the WIRE Buzz. From Bond to Dracula, we have it all.

First up, the guys behind the Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy (well, sans director Edgar Wright) are developing a series of epic fantasy novels for TV. Deadline is reporting Simon Pegg and Nick Frost plan to adapt Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London into a television series through their new Stolen Picture production company. Aaronovitch will serve as an executive producer alongside Pegg and Frost. 

The Rivers of London follows the adventures of Peter Grant, a police constable-turned-magician’s apprentice as he investigates crimes involving magic and the supernatural. The first book (entitled Rivers of London in the U.K. and Midnight Riot in the U.S.) will serve as the basis for the first season.

According to Aaronovitch, they may put more than one book together for future seasons. The first season will likely be eight or 10 episodes.

The series is in the very early stages of development and is one of several that the nascent production company (which has backing from Sony) plans to roll out over the next few years. 

(Via Deadline)

Next, Cary Fukunaga, director of the upcoming Bond 25 film, has confirmed via Instagram that production is underway. 

“Day 6 (D-Day), Take 1,” the director wrote on the social media site next to a photo of a digital clapper board.

Fukunaga (Maniac) took over directing duties of the new James Bond film after Trainspotting director Danny Boyle left the project due to creative differences.  

The 25th Bond film will be Daniel Craig’s final turn as Agent 007 and is slated to star Rami Malek (Mr. Robot) as its central villain. It's set to hit theatres April 8, 2020.

And finally, the upcoming Dracula series being developed for the BBC and Netflix has landed more cast members and its directors.

Via Variety, which first broke the news, Jonathan Aris (Black Mirror: Bandersnatch), Sacha Dhawan (The Boy With the Top Knot), Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (Misfits) and Catherine Schell (On Her Majesty’s Secret Service), Youssef Kerkour (Jack Ryan) and Clive Russell (Game of Thrones) has joined the cast of the three-part drama, which includes Claes Bang as the eponymous count. 

The cast also includes Morfydd Clark (His Dark Materials), Lujza Richter (Phantom Thread) and Mark Gatiss (Doctor Who). 

Production is underway, with Jonny Campbell (Westworld) directing the opening installment. Damon Thomas (Killing Eve) and Paul McGuigan (Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool) will direct Episodes 2 and 3, respectively.

Former Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat is writing the series along with Gatiss (Sherlock). Story details have yet to be revealed, but the producers have said that they are modernizing Bram Stoker’s classic novel for a 21st-century audience, as they did with Sherlock.

The series is set to launch in late 2019 or in 2020. It will debut on BBC One in the U.K. and Ireland and then play on Netflix in the U.S. and internationally.

(Via Variety)