EXCLUSIVE: Industry exec David P. Davis’ ITV Studios-backed label has optioned the TV rights to Clare Mackintosh thriller The Last Party.
The novel, which will be published on August 4, is the first revealed development project for 5 Acts Productions, which launched late last year. The Cardiff-based label sits within Patrick Spence’s ITV Studios drama division and is run by former Bad Wolf exec Davis.
New York Times bestselling author Mackintosh’s novel follows DC Ffion Morgan as she investigates the murder of Rhys Lloyd, a homegrown hero who is found floating dead in the water on New Year’s Day, the morning after a party that brought together a feuding community. The murder leads Morgan to scrutinize neighbors, friends and family as she attempts to solve a mystery in a town full of secrets.
Davis, whose credits include BBC/HBO hit Industry, Doctor Who and Channel 4’s Philip K. Dick adaptation Electric Dreams, said he was “hooked from the first page” due to the “perfect alchemy of great characters, a glorious setting and wonderfully crafted intrigue.”
“Clare has written a novel perfectly suited for dramatisation and I couldn’t be more proud she’s entrusted 5 Acts with the adaptation,” he added.
Mackintosh praised Davis’ “passion for the story,” and said she was “impressed by his commitment to the Welsh culture, language and settings.”