The star of one of Apple TV Plus' best shows is re-teaming with the streamer for a '20s-set private eye series from the writer of Conclave

Jack Lowden as River Cartwright in Slow Horses season 5.
(Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Slow Horses star Jack Lowden is set to star in another show for Apple TV Plus. The actor, who is best known for playing River Cartwright in the streamer's hit spy thriller, is said to be taking a lead role in an upcoming adaptation of Philip Kerr's Berlin Noir novels, according to Deadline.

The currently untitled drama is said to be primarily based on Metropolis – the final instalment of Kerr's 14-volume series about detective Bernie Gunther, a WW1 veteran who now works as a private eye. Although starting at the end of the Berlin Noir books might seem like a slightly odd decision, Metropolis is actually a prequel to the rest of the series, and follows Gunther in his early days fighting crime on the streets of Berlin in 1928.

Deadline has also revealed that Peter Straughan, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of papal thriller Conclave, will act as writer and showrunner for the new series, while SAS Rogue Heroes' Tom Shankland will direct.

"Bernie is a police officer, newly promoted to the intimidating and elite Berlin Murder Squad, and must investigate what seems to be a serial killer targeting victims on the fringes of society," reads a synopsis quoted in Deadline's article. "Bernie's Berlin is a city of unprecedented freedom and dizzying turbulence, the Nazis just a distant nightmare waiting in the wings. With the political and social world shifting to a new norm, we see Bernie fighting for truth, whatever the cost."

The series will be produced for Apple TV Plus by Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman's production company Playtone, alongside Bad Wolf, the Welsh studio founded by Julie Gardner and Jane Tranter which is best known for His Dark Materials, A Discovery of Witches, and the two most recent seasons of Doctor Who.

Jack Lowden has a busy few months coming up. The fifth season of Slow Horses lands on the streamer in September this year, with season six already filmed and a seventh series already commissioned. He will also star as Mr Darcy in Netflix's upcoming six-part adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, and as Gunnar in Duncan Jones' upcoming adaptation of sci-fi war comic Rogue Trooper.

For more great series, check out our guides to the year's biggest new TV shows, and the best Apple TV Plus shows.

Will Salmon
Streaming Editor

Will Salmon is the Streaming Editor for GamesRadar+. He has been writing about film, TV, comics, and music for more than 15 years, which is quite a long time if you stop and think about it. At Future he launched the scary movie magazine Horrorville, relaunched Comic Heroes, and has written for every issue of SFX magazine for well over a decade. His music writing has appeared in The Quietus, MOJO, Electronic Sound, Clash, and loads of other places too.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.