US streaming service Acorn TV and Acorn Media Enterprises have commissioned their first straight-to-series show with British drama series London Kills from Paul Marquess.

Acorn Media Enterprises (AME), the UK-based development division for the Acorn brand of RLJ Entertainment, Inc, has partnered with PGMTV to co-produce the new series along with Acorn Media International distributing in all English-speaking territories and international distributor ZDF Enterprises distributing in the rest of the world.

Created for television and co-written by Paul Marquess (Suspects, Footballers’ Wives), London Kills is currently casting and will go into production in May with a winter 2018 North American premiere for Series 1. The companies will produce two series back-to-back comprised of five by one-hour episodes. The deal was negotiated with Acorn Media Enterprises Shane Murphy, PGMTV’s Paul Marquess, and ZDF Enterprises’ VP ZDFE.drama Robert Franke.
 
London Kills will dramatise the experiences of a team of top murder detectives. “Slick, modern and fast moving, the series will be shot like a cutting-edge documentary.” Each episode will focus on a different murder following the detectives as they uncover the truth behind the killing but will also have a serial story involving the lead detective’s missing wife.
 
Shane Murphy, Managing Director, Acorn Media Enterprises, said, “After announcing our first commission with Agatha Raisin, Series 2, Acorn Media Enterprises and Acorn TV are thrilled to not only commission another high-quality production but make London Kills our first straight-to-series commission and produce two seasons back-to-back. With its compelling, fast-paced scripts and the creativity of Paul Marquess, LONDON KILLS will make an excellent addition to Acorn TV’s rapidly growing Originals slate.”
 
Paul Marquess, Managing Director, PGMTV, said “I’m delighted to be making LONDON KILLS for Acorn.  I’m convinced that London is the perfect backdrop for a contemporary police series. Shane Murphy loved the idea from the first pitch – and he and his team have been brilliantly supportive throughout the process. With acutely drawn regular characters and a variety of compelling murder investigations – as well as an intriguing serial narrative running right through it – LONDON KILLS is shaping up to be a sharp, smart, timely procedural drama.  We can’t wait to start shooting.”
 
Creator Paul Marquess co-created and executive produced improvised crime series Suspects which ran for five seasons and 23 episodes on Channel 5 and Acorn TV. Marquess also created Footballers’ Wives and Murder Investigation Team; series produced Brookside and Hollyoaks; and was Executive Producer of The Bill for four years.
 
London Kills will be written by Paul Marquess, Sarah-Louise Hawkins, Jake Riddell, Sally Tatchell (Skins), and Claire Fryer.
 
Acorn TV has previously commissioned Agatha Raisin, Series 2 starring Ashley Jensen; co-produced Aussie comedy Sando; as well as the licensing of British police procedural No Offence. Acorn TV will feature ten Acorn TV Originals in 2018 and more than 30 licensed premieres of international content.

Acorn TV currently features the U.S. premieres of comedy Detectorists, Series 3; Kay Mellor’s ITV drama Girlfriends starring Phyllis Logan (Downton Abbey), Miranda Richardson (And Then There Were None), and Zoe Wanamaker (Agatha Christie’s Poirot); British school dramedy Ackley Bridge, Series 1; British drama Delicious, Series 2; and Irish legal drama Striking Out, Series 2 starring IFTA winner for Best Drama Actress Amy Huberman and will soon show ITV’s medical drama The Good Karma Hospital, Series 2 , and Paul Abbott’s outrageous British police procedural No Offence, Series 1.

Jon Creamer

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