“When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”
So said Sherlock Holmes about the logical method of deduction the fictional detective used to solve his mysteries.
Now, real-life contestants will be tasked with following in Holmes’ footsteps as Banijay-backed Remarkable Entertainment is developing a reality competition under the working title Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock: The Detective Academy.
Remarkable has struck an exclusive deal with The Arthur Conan Doyle estate to develop the format. The indie didn’t divulge much info about the show beyond saying it will “test players’ powers of deduction and logic as they attempt to solve puzzling crimes from the world of Sherlock Holmes.” The show will now be taken out to UK broadcasters and the international market.
Remarkable bosses Tamara Gilder and Cat Lawson said the partnership with the estate “opens the door to a rich universe of iconic IP.” Conan Doyle’s books have already proved “rich” on the scripted side, with Benedict Cumberbatch starring in the BBC’s hit TV series plus a wealth of movies based on the novels.
“There is simply no greater figure in detective fiction – Sherlock Holmes defined the genre and continues to inspire new generations of armchair detectives around the world,” they added. “Working in close collaboration with The Arthur Conan Doyle Estate, the guardians of Conan Doyle’s work and his incredible characters, including the world-famous detective, will ensure the format and its contestants are immersed in the most authentic world of Sherlock Holmes.”
The move comes with big players tapping into well-known IP for the next generation of unscripted shows. Netflix, which made a hit gameshow based on its Squid Game smash, has greenlit series based on the Monopoly game and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Remarkable, meanwhile, is on a role having been behind Netflix talent contest Building the Band.
The Remarkable deal was negotiated by Emily Hayward Whitlock at TAP and Jon Wood at RCW.
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