Media Murder for Monday

MOVIES

Oscar winner Bill Condon has been tapped to direct A Slight Trick of the Mind, with Ian McKellen starring as a long-retired Sherlock Holmes haunted by an unsolved case from fifty years ago. The project is based on a novel of the same name by Mitch Cullin, with the screenplay being adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher (The Duchess).

Jared Harris (who played Moriarty in the recent Sherlock Holmes films) has become the latest star to join the cast of The Man From U.N.C.L.E., the upcoming adaptation of the classic 1960s spy series being directed by Guy Ritchie.

Cate Blanchett has signed on to star in David Mamet's thriller Blackbird. She'll play a woman who travels to Los Angeles for the funeral of her grandfather, a Hollywood visual effects artist who moonlighted for U.S. special ops agencies. After his death, her grandfather’s secrets become a threat.

Oscar winner Christopher Plummer has signed to star in the heist film The Forger, joining John Travolta and The Sheridan in the cast. Written by Richard D’Ovidio, the project centers on former
child art prodigy and petty thief Ray Cutter (Travolta), who arranges to
buy his way out of prison so he can spend time with his ailing son
(Sheridan). Ray and his father (Plummer) must come together to carry out
one last big job for the syndicate that financed his early release.

Picturesque Films has begun production on Thursday, a psychological thriller that marks the directorial debut of Balazs Juszt. The plot centers on a modern-day Catholic priest from a small town parish in Massachusetts who is thrust into the depths of the Roman underworld. The international cast includes Francois Arnaud (The Borgias), Jordi Molla (Riddick), Ana Ularu (Serena) and Mark Ivanir (A Late Quartet).

Mission Park is one of 23 indie films debuting this weekend in limited release around the U.S. The R-rated crime drama follows a group of four friends, two of whom fall into a life of crime, two who become FBI agents. As part of the AMC Independent program, it will be in 14 theaters in New York, Chicago, L.A. and San Antonio.

TELEVISION

The HBO series True Detective is set to premiere in January. The eight-episode project stars Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as a pair of detectives who cross paths as they both try to solve a 17-year-old murder mystery in Louisiana. HBO announced that further seasons would introduce new stories and characters, along the lines of what FX has done with its anthology series American Horror Story. HBO is offering a sneak peak of the new show following the new season premiere of Boardwalk Empire.

FX has given a pilot order to the dark comedic crime drama Hoke, based on Charles Willeford's novels and featuring lead character Detective Hoke Mosely (played by Paul Giamatti). The pilot was penned by Scott Frank (Out of Sight, Get Shorty), who will also direct the project, with shooting set for the fall in Miami.

CBS bought an untitled legal drama project from former Friday Night Lights executive producer David Hudgins, which centers on an outrageous and irreverent Federal judge with lifetime tenure who bucks the system.

White Collar returns for its season premiere on Thursday, October 17th on USA Network, which released a sneak peek at the upcoming fifth season. (Hat tip to Omnimystery News.)

The BBC issued an intriguing composite trailer for its various original crime dramas, including Sherlock, Ripper Street, The Musketeers, Quirke, What Remains, The Great Train Robbery and The Great Escape.

The Hallmark Movie Channel pilot The Mystery Cruise has begun production in Vancouver and is scheduled to premiere October 5. Gail O’Grady (NYPD Blue) and Michelle Harrison (Tom Dick & Harriet) star in the project, which is based on the book The Santa Cruise by New York Times bestselling authors Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark

Burn Notice creator Matt Nix is in talks with USA Network to pick up his new pilot, the medical drama Complications, which follows an emergency room doctor whose life changes after being involved in a gang shooting.

Midsomer Murders is heading to Denmark for its 100th episode.  In "The Killings at Copenhagen", Detective Chief Inspector John Barnaby and his Danish counterpart investigate when a Midsomer resident is found murdered in Copenhagen. (Hat tip to Omnimystery News.)

Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon is joining the cast of Hannibal for the crime drama's second season. She will play an FBI Oversight agent who investigates the events that landed FBI profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) in jail.

PODCASTS/VIDEO/RADIO

The first episode of Crime and Science Radio debuted this weekend. Co-hosts Jan Burke and DP Lyle talked about "Hollywood Storytelling: Science Fact or Make Believe?" Crime and Science Radio will air twice each month.