Global film and T.V. studio Fifth Season has secured a raft of international sales for the two-part thriller “Murder is Easy,” a new adaptation of Agatha Christie's classic novel produced by Mammoth Screen (“The Serpent,” “Endeavour”) and Agatha Christie Limited (“The Pale Horse”, “Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?”). A co-commission by the BBC and BritBox International, “Murder is Easy” debuted on BBC One and iPlayer (U.K.) in December 2023, averaging 7M viewers and placing the series in the U.K.’s top 3 most-watched new drama series of 2023 across all channels and streamers. The series will also launch on BritBox International’s streaming service in the U.S. and Canada on March 1 and South Africa on March 7.
In Europe, the new deals secured include Movistar Plus+ (Spain), Network4 (Hungary), CANAL+ Polska S.A. (Poland), TV2 (Denmark), TV2 (Norway), CANAL+ (France), Kanal 2 (Estonia), RUV (Iceland), TV4 (Sweden), Pickbox (Central and Eastern Europe) and MTV (Finland). Fifth Season has also inked deals with BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand, CJ ENM (South Korea), and NHK Enterprises for Mystery Channel (Japan).
Prentiss Fraser, President of Television Distribution at Fifth Season, said: “‘Murder is Easy’ is a gripping and fresh murder mystery that was remarkably successful with U.K. audiences over the festive period. It encapsulates what makes Agatha Christie adaptations enduringly popular, with quintessentially English charm and whip-smart plotting alongside a top-class lineup of talent on both sides of the camera. Our long-term partnership with Agatha Christie Limited and Mammoth Screen is a core part of our slate, and we’re delighted to have such a robust line-up of broadcasters from around the world on board this latest offering.”
“Murder is Easy” is set in England in 1954. On a train to London, a man named Luke Fitzwilliam meets Miss Pinkerton, who tells him that a killer is on the loose in the sleepy English village of Wychwood under Ashe. The villagers believe the deaths are mere accidents, but Miss Pinkerton knows otherwise - and when she's later found dead on her way to Scotland Yard, Luke feels he must find the killer before they can strike again. Because for a certain kind of person, murder is easy.
“Murder is Easy” is adapted by Sian Ejiwunmi-Le Berre, directed by Meenu Gaur (“Zinda Bhaag,” “World on Fire”), and produced by Karen Kelly. The series stars David Jonsson (“Industry,” “Rye Lane”) as Fitzwilliam, alongside Morfydd Clark (“Lord of the Rings,” “Saint Maud”) as Bridget; Penelope Wilton (“Downton Abbey,” “After Life”) as Miss Pinkerton, Sinead Matthews (“Hullraisers,” “The Crown”) as Miss Waynflete, Tom Riley (“The Nevers,” “Ill Behaviour”) as Lord Whitfield, Douglas Henshall (“Shetland,” “In Plain Sight”) as Major Horton, Mathew Baynton (“Ghosts,” “Wonka”) as Dr. Thomas, Mark Bonnar (“World on Fire,” “Guilt”) as Reverend Humbleby, Nimra Bucha (“Polite Society,” “Ms. Marvel”) as Mrs. Humbleby, Tamzin Outhwaite (“The Tower,” “Ridley Road”) as Mrs. Pierce, Jon Pointing (“Big Boys,” “Plebs”) as Rivers, and Phoebe Licorish making her screen debut as Rose. Fifth Season handles international sales outside the U.K., Americas, and South Africa.
“Murder is Easy” (2x60’) is produced by Mammoth Screen (part of ITV Studios) and Agatha Christie Limited and is a co-commission between the BBC and BritBox International. The casting directors are Karen Lindsay-Stewart and Emily Jacobs. Executive producers are Siân Ejiwunmi-Le Berre, James Prichard for Agatha Christie Limited, James Gandhi and Damien Timmer for Mammoth Screen, Danielle Scott-Haughton for the BBC, and Reemah Sakaan and Stephen Nye for BritBox International.
Fifth Season’s partnership with Mammoth Screen and Agatha Christie Limited on adaptations of Agatha Christie's classic novels also includes “The ABC Murders,” “Ordeal By Innocence,” “The Pale Horse” and “Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?”.