Media Murder for Monday

It's the start of a new week (and a new year!) and that means it's time for a brand-new roundup of crime drama news:

THE BIG SCREEN/MOVIES

SP Releasing has acquired worldwide rights to the psychological thriller, Nightshade, starring Lou Ferrigno Jr. (S.W.A.T.), Dina Meyer (Starship Troopers) and Jason Patric (Wayward Pines), with plans to release it in theaters across North America and on VOD platforms on January 4. The film, which is directed by Landon Williams, follows a homicide detective (Ferrigno Jr.) on the hunt for a serial killer, who experiences a series of disturbing dreams leading him to seek hypnotherapy and the aid of a psychiatrist (Meyer). The treatment reveals undeniable parallels between his nightmares and the murders, sending him into a spiral of paranoia and distrust.

A trailer dropped for the Tamil-language Indian thriller, Valimai, starring Ajith Kumar as Arjun, an IPS officer who sets out on a mission to hunt down illegal bikers involved in theft and murder. Huma Qureshi and Kartikeya Gummakonda also star. Ajith Kumar, known to his fans as "Thala" (Leader), is one of the most bankable stars from South India’s Tamil-language film industry and has a following across India. Valimai is due a release on Jan. 14, 2022.

Wondering when your favorite blockbuster action movie or thriller is slated for release in the new year? Deadline offered up a list of release dates for the "Most Anticipated 2022 Movies."

TELEVISION/STREAMING SERVICES

Chris Noth is out of the CBS drama, The Equalizer, as the actor faces allegations of sexual assault. "Chris Noth will no longer film additional episodes of The Equalizer, effective immediately," CBS and Universal Television, which produces the series, said in a statement. He will appear in one more episode of the show that has completed production. Noth played William Bishop, the former CIA handler and longtime friend of lead character, Robyn McCall (Queen Latifah).

In an interview with Deadline, crime author Harlan Coben said that "The worst TV adaptations are slavishly devoted to the [original] text." Coben also indicated he hopes to continue working with Netflix as his five-year deal draws to a close. Coben's unusual contract with the streamer saw him mostly adapting his own novels for shows around Europe, even relocating Stay Close from Atlantic City to the British seaside resort of Blackpool for the TV version. The author has plans for at least two more shows, which would bring him up to nine of the planned 14 when the deal was struck in 2018.

The creators and stars of the upcoming Stephen Merchant-starring BBC1 factual drama, Four Lives—about serial killer Stephen Port’s crimes—have slammed London’s Metropolitan Police and the UK justice system for "monumental failings" over the case. An inquest into the Met’s investigation into Port’s four murders concluded in December that three of them "probably" could have been avoided if the police hadn’t missed opportunities, while a group of UK MPs has called for a public inquiry into claims of institutional homophobia that beset the case.

The official Twitter account for the BBC America drama series, Killing Eve, posted a 30-second teaser trailer, offering a preview of the season’s February 27, 2022 premiere. The storyline will see MI6 agent Eve Polastri’s (Sandra Oh) obsession with serial killer, Villanelle (Jodie Comer), come to a head in the fourth and final season. The show has racked up much critical acclaim in its short run, with Comer and Sandra Oh taking home an Emmy and Golden Globe, respectively, for their acting work.

A trailer was also released for the BBC's award-winning period gangster saga, Peaky Blinders, which will end with its upcoming sixth season. An air date has not yet been announced, although it has been teased for early 2022. Peaky Blinders features an ensemble cast led by Cillian Murphy, Helen McCrory (who passed away in April of 2021), and Paul Anderson, starring as Tommy Shelby, Elizabeth "Polly" Gray, and Arthur Shelby, respectively. Sam Neill, Iddo Goldberg, Tom Hardy, Paddy Considine, Adrien Brody, Aidan Gillen, Annabelle Wallis, Charlotte Riley, Sam Claflin, Stephen Graham, Sophie Rundle, and Anya Taylor-Joy also have had recurring roles at various times of the series.

PODCASTS/VIDEO/RADIO/AUDIO

Writers Detective Bureau host, Detective Adam Richardson, discussed finding last wills for a homicide investigation; and he also answered two queries about historical crime scenarios: a murder in 1912, and a character in a romance who works for the NYPD in the late 80s/early 90s.

The Wrong Place, Write Crime podcast welcomed Janet Lynn and Will Zeilinger to talk about their solo work and their collaborations, which include the Skylar Drake Mystery Series.

The Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine podcast ushered in 2022 with a reading of a New Year’s story from EQMM’s Department of First Stories. New writer Ken Linn begins his tale on July 4th—but follows his protagonist up to the turn of a new year.

On Crime Time FM, Craig Sisterson chatted with Peter Papathanasiou about his dark outback thriller, The Stoning.

It Was a Dark and Stormy Book Club had a recast of episode 163 featuring an interview with Caitlin Rother about her book, Death on Ocean Boulevard: Inside the Coronado Mansion Case.