Emma Thompson, Ruth Wilson to Lead ‘Down Cemetery Road’ Series at Apple Based on Novel by ‘Slow Horses’ Author

Apple TV+ has ordered a series adaptation of Mick Herron’s “Down Cemetery Road” with Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson attached to star, Variety has learned.

This is now the second adaptation of Herron’s books to get the series treatment at Apple, with the other being the popular spy series “Slow Horses” starring Gary Oldman. Morwenna Banks, who is a writer on “Slow Horses,” will serve as lead writer on “Down Cemetery Road.”

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The official logline of the new series states, “When a house explodes in a quiet Oxford suburb and a girl disappears in the aftermath, neighbor Sarah Tucker (Wilson) becomes obsessed with finding her and enlists the help of private investigator Zoë Boehm (Thompson). Zoë and Sarah suddenly find themselves in a complex conspiracy that reveals that people long believed dead are still among the living, while the living are fast joining the dead.”

Banks and Thompson are both executive producers on the series, as is Herron. Jamie Laurenson, Hakan Kousetta, and Tom Nash at 60Forty Films also executive produce. Natalie Bailey serves as lead director.

“‘Down Cemetery Road’ has all the hallmarks of Mick Herron’s funny and acerbic writing, and I’m delighted we will be bringing it to life for Apple TV+ with such a stellar cast,” said Jay Hunt, creative director, Europe, for Apple TV+. “Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson will make it an unmissable companion piece for ‘Slow Horses’ on our service.”

This will mark one of Thompson’s few regular TV roles in her illustrious career. Her past TV credits include HBO’s “Angels in America” and the miniseries “Years and Years.” She is a seven-time Emmy nominee, winning the award for best guest actress in a comedy series for her appearance on “Ellen.” Thompson is also a two-time Academy Award winner — one for best actress for “Howards End” and another for best adapted screenplay for “Sense and Sensibility,” the latter of which also earned her a nod for best actress. Her other film roles include “Saving Mr. Banks,” “Love Actually,” and “Remains of the Day.”

Wilson’s notable TV roles include her time as Alice Morgan on the hit BBC show “Luther” and her Golden Globe-winning performance in the Showtime series “The Affair.” She has also received BAFTA nominations for the shows “Jane Eyre” and “Mrs. Wilson” and recently appeared in the BBC/HBO adaptation of “His Dark Materials.” She also appeared in “Saving Mr. Banks” as well as films like 2012’s “Anna Karenina” and “See How They Run.”

Thompson and Wilson are repped by Hamilton Hodell and CAA. Banks is repped by The Agency.

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