Sherlock Holmes has been reimagined countless times, but his arch-nemesis is finally stepping into the spotlight. Fremantle and Archery Pictures are developing Moriarty, a modern crime thriller that flips the script on the world's most famous detective story. Instead of following Holmes, this series dives deep into the mind of his greatest adversary.
The project, currently under a working title, comes from writers Chris Cornwell (A Discovery of Witches) and Oliver Lansley (Where's Wanda?). It reimagines Professor James Moriarty as a brilliant but secretive criminal mastermind who teaches Criminal Psychology at Durham University. By day, he's an academic; by night, he orchestrates the most sophisticated crimes across Northern England.
But here's the twist: when a rival criminal faction begins dismantling Moriarty's empire, he's forced to take drastic action. To protect his identity and his operations, Moriarty joins the police as a consultant. He's paired with Detective Imogen Burrows, a no-nonsense Yorkshire investigator, and together they form an unlikely team. However, Moriarty soon realizes the real threat may not be the rival gang he's chasing—it's something far more dangerous.
This isn't the first time Moriarty has been adapted for the screen. Andrew Scott famously played the character in BBC's Sherlock, while Ralph Fiennes, Jared Harris, and Randall Park have all taken on the role in various projects. Park currently portrays Moriarty in CBS's Watson. The new series promises a fresh take, blending psychological depth with genre thrills.
Archery Pictures founder Kris Thykier teased the show's darker tone, saying, "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. 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."
Rebecca Dundon, SVP Scripted Content at Fremantle, highlighted the franchise potential: "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."
For fans of crime procedurals, this series could be a standout addition to a genre filled with forgotten crime shows that are still absolute masterpieces. It also continues a trend of exploring villainous perspectives, much like HBO Max's 'Heretic' redefines Hugh Grant's villain era.
With its modern setting and psychological depth, Moriarty promises to be a compelling addition to the Sherlock Holmes universe. As production moves forward, fans can expect a fresh, darkly entertaining look at what makes a criminal genius tick.
