A series adaptation of Andrew Mayne’s “The Naturalist” book series is in active development at ABC.
The series is described as a procedural that follows a “brilliant but socially estranged biologist who uses the laws of animal behavior to hunt human predators.” The twist is that the protagonist has his own dark secrets, and he turns every case into a study of himself.
The project will be written by Andrew Karlsruher (“MacGyver,” “CSI: Cyber”), with Veritas Entertainment’s Peter Jaysen and Alan Gasmer executive producing alongside Danny Cannon (who directed the original “CSI” pilot).
“The Naturalist” book series — which includes the first novel published in 2017 and sequels “Looking Glass” (2018), “Murder Theory” (2019) and “Dark Pattern” (2019) — is an Amazon Charts bestseller, and the first installment was nominated for an International Thriller Writers Award for best original paperback novel in 2019.
Mayne is also the author of “The Girl Beneath the Sea” and “Angel Killer,” and his new book “The Session” will be published in October. He’s represented by Erica Spellman Silverman at Trident Media Group and Pooneh Aminian at TroyGould.
Karlsruher co-wrote the pilot “Do Harm” for the Onyx Collective, and he was a producer on CBS’ “Bull.” He is currently the head of character for the robotics company Familiar Machines & Magic. He’s repped by Gersh, Writ Large, and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller.
Cannon has directed and executive produced 18 pilots, including for the “CSI” franchise, “Nikita,” “Gotham” and “Pennyworth.” He’s represented by MGMT Entertainment and Innovative Artists.
“The Naturalist” hails from Veritas Entertainment, the media and entertainment company founded by Jaysen and Gasmer. The production house, known for optioning IP and developing it into Hollywood projects, is behind the Timothée Chalamet Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” as well as “Vikings,” “Dublin Murders,” “Fahrenheit 451” and more.
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