The world of Sherlock Holmes is getting a major shakeup. Fremantle and Archery Pictures are working together on a new crime drama called Moriarty (working title). This show takes the most famous villain in detective fiction and makes him the main character.
The project comes from writers Chris Cornwell (A Discovery of Witches, Doctor Who: Redacted) and Oliver Lansley (Where’s Wanda). The team describes it as a “modern reinvention of the crime procedural.”
The Criminal Genius Becomes A Police Consultant
Instead of watching Sherlock Holmes solve cases, viewers will see through the eyes of Professor James Moriarty. In this series, he teaches Criminal Psychology at Durham University. But that is just his cover. At night, he runs every major crime operation in the North of England.
The story kicks off when a rival criminal starts attacking Moriarty’s underground empire. To protect himself, Moriarty makes a smart but risky move. He joins the police as a consultant. He uses the law as a weapon to take down his enemy while hiding his real identity from the cops.
He gets paired with Detective Imogen Burrows, a tough Yorkshire detective. Together, they form a strong investigative team. But things get complicated. The real danger for Moriarty is not the rival gang. It is Burrows herself. She slowly starts to suspect that something is off about her new consultant.
No Cast Yet But High Expectations
No actors have been announced yet to play the lead role. The person who gets the part will have big shoes to fill. Many famous actors have played Moriarty before.
Andrew Scott played him in the BBC series Sherlock. His performance is widely considered one of the best TV villain roles ever. Jared Harris played him in the movie Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Dónal Finn is the latest actor to take on the role in Young Sherlock on Prime Video.
“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.” – Kris Thykier, Founder of Archery Pictures
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A Fresh Take On A Classic Character
This is not the only Moriarty project moving forward. The anime series Moriarty the Patriot offers a different version where the villain fights against a corrupt class system. A musical adaptation of that anime is also set to perform from June to July 2026.
However, this new live-action show stands out because of its setting. Moving the story to modern-day Northern England and putting Moriarty inside a police department changes the usual formula. He is not just hiding from Holmes. He is working right next to the police.
“We instantly saw huge potential for a commercial, returning franchise that brings to life one of the more allusive characters in the Sherlock world: Moriarty.” – Rebecca Dundon, SVP Scripted Content at Fremantle
Fremantle will handle global sales for the series. There is no release date or streaming platform attached to the project yet.
Also Read: Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2026: My Hero Academia Final Season Wins Anime of the Year
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