ITV's Director of Television Peter Fincham has today confirmed the commission of two stand-alone dramatic films, featuring legendary French fictional detective Jules Maigret.
Credit: Toby Hancock/Rex
Fincham said: "Maigret is a prestigious commission and we're delighted to be working with Maigret Productions, Ealing Studios and Rowan Atkinson, to bring these stories to screen for our viewers."
Atkinson is to take on the title role in the new episodes, both set in the 1950s in Paris and two hours long each.
Going into production in September of this year, Stewart Harcourt will write the episodes whilst Barnaby Thompson and Ben Latham-Jones are Executive Producers for Ealing Studios, alongside John simenon for Maigret Productions and Stewart Harcourt. Jeremy Gwilt produces the drama.
First appearing in print in 1931, Maigret has found his place in the hearts of many with his trademark pipe and heavy coat, brought to life by Georges Simenon who wrote an incredible 75 Maigret novels and is considered one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, selling around a billion books to-date.
The two new films are to see adaptations from the novels 'Maigret tend un piège' and 'Maigret et son mort', translated to Maigret Sets A Trap and Maigret's Dead Man.
Speaking of his new role, Rowan Atkinson said: "I have been a devourer of the Maigret novels for many years and I'm very much looking forward to playing such an intriguing character, at work in Paris during a fascinating period in its history".