Julian Fellowes, known for Downton Abbey, The Tourist, and The Gilded Age, is adapting Swiss-American author Donna Leon’s world-famous Commissario Brunetti novels into a TV series.
You can find our exclusive interview with Donna Leon, the author of the Commissario
Brunetti series here: Exclusive Interview: Author Donna Leon
Originally, the project was first put into development in 2018 by Fellowes’ friend and mentor, producer Ileen Maisel. However, Maisel passed away in February 2023. Fellowes decided to take over and complete the project in memory of his close friend.
The series tells a contemporary story while paying homage to a literary classic. The official description refers to the famous opening line from Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina:
“Unhappy detectives are alike; a happy detective tries to remain happy in his own way. Away from the tourist crowds, in pale Venice, Commissario Brunetti struggles every day to protect his city and his family from murder, corruption and the intrusions of his aristocratic brothers-in-law.”
Ileen Maisel will be credited as executive producer on the series alongside Gesine Lubben, PK Fellowes, and Lawrence Elman. It is also known that Donna Leon, the author of the series, will also be involved in the project as a co-executive producer.
About the Commissario Brunetti Series
The Commissario Brunetti series revolves around Guido Brunetti, a detective in his 50s living in Venice. The series, with its first book Death at La Fenice published in 1992, has now reached 33 books. The last book in the series, A Refiner’s Fire, published in 2024, was voted one of the best crime novels of the year by The Washington Post. The Brunetti series is known for its strong characters, well-constructed plots, and a simple and realistic portrayal of the daily life of Venice, which is often described as a fairy tale.
The first 26 books of the bestselling Commissario Brunetti series, which have been translated into 35 languages, were adapted into a German TV series.
Source: Deadline
