‘Nine Bodies In A Mexican Morgue’ Greenlit By MGM+; Eric McCormack To Star In Anthony Horowitz Limited Series

Nellie Andreeva
·3 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

EXCLUSIVE: MGM+ has given the green light to Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue. Eric McCormack (Will & Grace, Perception) is the first actor cast in the mystery thriller, playing one of the leads in the six-part ensemble limited series written, created and executive produced by Anthony Horowitz (Magpie Murders) and produced by Eleventh Hour Films, a Sony Pictures Television-backed company.

SPT will distribute worldwide the series, which also will have a British broadcast partner.

More from Deadline

Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue follows the tale of nine strangers who find themselves lost in a remote Mexican jungle after their small plane traveling from Guatemala to the U.S. crashes. One by one, the survivors are murdered, leaving the remaining passengers to solve the terrifying mystery before they too fall victim to the killer.

McCormack will play Kevin, a former doctor who has been purchasing medical supplies in Guatemala. Casting continues, with filming set to begin this May in the Canary Islands.

“Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue is a clever and wildly entertaining addition to MGM+’s growing slate of edge-of-your-seat thrillers,” said Michael Wright, head of MGM+. “Anthony Horowitz has spun a masterfully inventive web of deception and intrigue that keeps audiences guessing until the very last ax falls.”

A version of the project originally was developed by Horowitz with Blumhouse Television for the now-defunct shortform platform Quibi. Blumhouse is not involved in the current incarnation.

“I loved writing Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue, which I think may be the twistiest story I’ve ever come up with,” said Horowitz, who also penned the popular Alex Rider teen-spy book series. “It’s not just a question of who is committing all these murders, it’s why — and I hope audiences will enjoy the truly ‘killer’ ending.”

Horowitz executive produces Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue with Jill Green and Eve Gutierrez for Eleventh Hour Films.

“This highly distinctive, cinematic drama will feature a wide cast of international characters stretching from Mexican soldiers stationed at a morgue close to the U.S. border to the international collection of passengers and staff on the plane — all of whom are hiding secrets from each other,” Green and Gutierrez said. “We are assembling a fantastic ensemble cast, and Anthony Horowitz will lead them, and the audience, on a twisted journey deep inside a dangerous Mexican jungle.”

McCormack is coming off a starring role in The Cottage, which recently wrapped its Broadway run at the Hayes Theater. In TV, he can be seen starring in the Hulu series The Other Black Girl, based on the best-selling novel. Best known for his role as Will Truman on NBC’s Will & Grace, which he reprised in the show’s late-2010s revival, McCormack won the Emmy for his performance in 2001.

His other series credits include starring in three seasons of Netflix’s Travelers, where he also served as a director and producer. McCormack is repped by Gersh, and Harris Hartman at Sloane, Offer, Weber and Dern.

Best of Deadline

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.