‘Magpie Murders’ announces follow-up series ‘Moonflower Murders’
The future of Magpie Murders has finally been revealed!
Adapted by Foyle’s War creator Anthony Horowitz from his own acclaimed 2016 novel, the crime drama series launched in the UK on BritBox in February 2022.
The show then premiered in the US last autumn on PBS, becoming a hit on Sunday nights alongside Unforgotten star Nicola Walker’s Annika, and the second season of Miss Scarlet and the Duke.
Watch the trailer here:
While executive producer Jill Green had revealed that everyone was “very excited” about making another season, there were some doubts about the possibility of it returning.
The insanely busy schedule of star Lesley Manville was one main obstacle!
Last year she appeared in Starz’s new period drama Dangerous Liaisons, BBC crime series Sherwood, and her wonderful Mrs Harris Goes to Paris movie, before making her debut as the new Princess Margaret in The Crown on Netflix.
Watch the trailer for Mrs Harris Goes to Paris here:
Since then she’s been shooting the sixth and final season of The Crown, which is set to premiere at the end of 2023, as well as filming the second season of World on Fire for the BBC!
Manville managed to fit in a role in 1930s-set movie The Critic too, alongside Sir Ian McKellen and Gemma Arterton.
Fortunately, it looks like a big enough gap in her diary has opened up for a return as editor turned sleuth Susan Ryeland.
An adaption of Moonflower Murders, Anthony Horowitz’s 2020 follow-up to his Magpie Murders novel, has been confirmed by the BBC tonight!
The series will begin filming later this year and is expected to comprise six episodes.
Alongside Lesley Manville, Magpie Murders star Timothy McMullan will also reprise his role as famous literary detective Atticus Pünd.
Further casting will be revealed in due course.
When is the release date?
The BBC has announced that Moonflower Murders will premiere in the UK in 2024.
PBS are once again co-producing the series, so the show will return as part of their Masterpiece Mystery strand on Sunday nights.
In other exciting news for British fans, the first season will get a TV broadcast soon, having only been available in the UK on BritBox so far.
Magpie Murders will premiere on BBC One and streaming on BBC iPlayer this spring.
Writer Anthony Horowitz commented: “I’m very happy that Magpie Murders is going to be shown on BBC – its natural home. I had such fun writing the scripts and they’ve been brought to life by a brilliant director and cast.”
Sue Deeks, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition, added: “I’m delighted that BBC viewers will have the opportunity to enjoy the wonderful Magpie Murders, and its highly anticipated follow-up, Moonflower Murders.
“With their stellar cast and ingenious storylines, they are a truly distinctive and entertaining take on the murder mystery genre.”
Meanwhile, the Magpie Murders team are about to commence filming on a new version of Rebus!
Based on Sir Ian Rankin’s series of crime novels, the six-part crime drama begins production in Edinburgh soon.
Anthony Horowitz’s Magpie Murders novel is available on Amazon.