Sherlock villain gets spin-off series set at Durham University

The upcoming TV drama Moriarty will reimagine the iconic character as a criminal mastermind in the north of England.

In the series, Professor James Moriarty is cast as a professor of criminal psychology at Durham University.

He leads a double life as the architect of sophisticated crime across the north of England.

Kris Thykier, the Bafta-nominated producer behind the project, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Fremantle to bring to life the original and character-driven spin-off from the Sherlock Holmes universe that Chris Cornwell has created.”

Kris Thykier (Image: PA)

When a new criminal threat emerges, Moriarty is forced to collaborate with the police as a consultant.

He uses this role to discreetly take down his enemy, all while keeping his identity hidden from law enforcement.

He is paired with detective Imogen Burrows, a no-nonsense officer from Yorkshire. Together, they become a formidable team, but the real danger to Moriarty turns out not to be his criminal rival, but Burrows’ growing suspicions.

Mr Thykier said the series will offer a “playful, dark, and thrilling dive into the psychology of villainy.”

Rebecca Dundon, Fremantle’s senior vice president of scripted content, said the concept had immediate appeal.

Ms Dundon said: “We instantly saw huge potential for a commercial, returning franchise that brings to life one of the more allusive characters in the Sherlock world.

Freemantle’s senior vice president of scripted content Rebecca Dundon (Image: Fremantle)

“It’s exciting to collaborate with Kris and the team at Archery to bring a premium, propulsive, contemporary drama to screen that will not only be clever and hooky, but also give us a fresh spin on the procedural crime format with an unconventionally brilliant protagonist at the heart who will constantly surprise and frustrate viewers in a highly entertaining manner.”

Moriarty has yet to be cast, but the character has previously been portrayed on screen by actors including Jared Harris, Andrew Scott, and Donal Finn.

Jared Harris appeared as the villain in Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows, Andrew Scott in Sherlock, and Donal Finn in Young Sherlock.

This new series arrives amid a renewed wave of interest in Holmes-related stories.

Other recent and upcoming adaptations include Young Sherlock and The Death Of Sherlock Holmes, the latter starring Rafe Spall and set to premiere on Sky.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty, wrote four novels and 56 short stories featuring the legendary detective.