A series adaptation of Andrew Mayne’s The Naturalist book series is in active development at ABC.
The series is described as a procedural story that follows “a brilliant but marginalized biologist who uses the laws of animal behavior to hunt human predators.” The plot twist is that the protagonist has a dark secret of his own and turns every incident into a study of himself.
The project will be written by Andrew Karlsruher (MacGyver, CSI: Cyber) and executive produced by Veritas Entertainment’s Peter Jasen and Alan Gassmer, along with Danny Cannon (who directed the original CSI pilot). Andy Cutler is the producer.
“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 chart bestseller, and the first book was nominated for Best Original Paperback Novel at the International Thriller Writers of the Year Award 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 is repped by Erica Spellman Silverman of Trident Media Group and Pooneh Aminian of TroyGould.
Mr. Karlsluer co-wrote the Onyx Collective pilot “Do Harm” and served as a producer on CBS’ “Bull.” He currently serves as head of character at robotics company Familiar Machines & Magic. He is repped by Gersh, Wright Large, Hansen, Jacobson and Teller.
Cannon has directed and executive produced 18 pilots, including the CSI series, Nikita, Gotham and Pennyworth. He is repped by MGMT Entertainment and Innovative Artists.
“The Naturalist” hails from Veritas Entertainment, a media and entertainment company founded by Jacen and Gasmer. The production company is known for optioning IP and developing it into Hollywood projects, including the Timothee Chalamet Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” as well as “Vikings,” “Dublin Murders” and “Fahrenheit 451.”
