Helene Joy will star as a bold and uncompromising detective harbouring an explosive secret in a new series being developed by POP Fiction Entertainment and Emmy Award-winning Canadian production house Muse Entertainment.
The eight-hour crime drama, to span Sydney and British Columbia, Canada, is inspired by the Madison Knight detective novels by Canadian Author Carolyn Arnold, with Joy in the titular role.
The series is being developed by Justin Monjo and Canadian writer Lynn Coady (Orphan Black, Diggstown), with Daniel Nettheim attached to direct.
Orion Lee will also star in the project, playing the role of Madison’s work partner, Detective Steven Hung.
While hailing from Perth, Joy has spent most of her career in Canada, with credits including series Murdoch Mysteries, for which she is currently shooting her 15th season, and Durham Country, also produced by Muse. She jumped at the role of Knight, an unconventional female detective who will stop at nothing to bring criminals to justice both inside and outside the law.
“Working for years on a successful series had me searching for another great series with the same qualities; a core cast of characters that you become addicted to, in a strong crime procedural format,” Joy said.
“As I read the books, I was immediately taken with Madison as a leading female character. She is unapologetic, unpredictable and deeply flawed. An extremely reluctant heroine if you will. What I love most is her sardonic nature and deeply sarcastic sense of humor. She doesn’t suffer fools and has little time for small talk.”
Coady, Joy, Matthew Lesher, Monjo, Jesse Prupas and Carmel Travers will serve as executive producers.
Travers, the CEO of POP Fiction Entertainment, said: “Working with the team at Muse has been something Jesse Prupas and I have been trying to make happen for a few years. The intriguing Madison Knight stories, combined with fabulous talent like Helene Joy, Orion Lee, Justin Monjo, Lynn Coady and Daniel Nettheim has finally brought Muse and Pop together.
“Being able to develop storylines that seamlessly work across the two continents is a hugely satisfying experience. We’re looking forward to bringing the series to the screen.”
POP Fiction Entertainment is the newly-launched scripted division of POP Family Entertainment. Other projects on its slate include feature First Casualty, penned by Peter Duncan, an animated feature film written by Harry Cripps and a scripted family comedy series.