Murder Most Unladylike children’s crime series in the works at StudioCanal

Murder Most Unladylike is officially getting a TV adaptation, and fans of Robin Stevens' children's book series are already jumping up with joy. StudioCanal and Strong Film & Television are all set and ready to bring Hazel and Daisy's charming 1930s world to the screen.

The project will have clever whodunnits and schoolgirl mischief, with Anna McCleery writing the show and James Strong directing. leading the charge. Expect a show that has friendship and plenty of secrets in true old-school mystery style.

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From page to screen: how StudioCanal is reimagining Murder Most Unladylike

When a story already has faithful readers, adapting it for television can be challenging. However, StudioCanal is satisfied with finding out the correct plan. The upcoming Murder Most Unladylike show will be a six-part adaptation, unfolding across two 45-minute episodes each. That's just the start, though, because with 12 main books and three spin-offs, the team has a vision for this to become a long-running classic.

StudioCanal Stories will lead the adaptation, along with author Robin Stevens' own production, Unladylike Productions. It's a full-circle moment for Stevens, who said;

"It has always been my dream to bring Hazel and Daisy and their world to life on screen, and I can't think of better partners to make that dream a reality."

Talking about the collab, she added that working with the "incredible crime pedigree" of Strong Film & TV, the child-friendly and family-inclined world of StudioCanal felt like a perfect match.

McCleery, who's writing the show, also couldn't agree more. She said;

"I could not love these books more; they are clever, thrilling and bursting with humour and heart."

She also talked about how much she loves the two leads, calling Hazel and Daisy "a totally unique teen girl detective duo." StudioCanal's Managing Director, M-K Kennedy, also spoke about his excitement about the project, calling the duo;

"A duo worthy of Watson and Holmes stature...beloved for their "independence, curiosity and wicked sense of humour."

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Why Murder Most Unladylike is the perfect blend of mystery and mischief

Murder Most Unladylike is a story about friendship, bravery, and laughs. Think of Enola Holmes, but with the boarding school as the setting, and two teenage sleuths who refuse to be demeaned just because they're teens. The show will be set in the 1930s and tell the story of Hazel Wong and Daisy Wells as they come across crimes that only they have the mind and guts to solve.

McCleery's writing on the show, with Strong's direction, promises to capture the humour and spirit that made the books such a success among younger readers.

Loretta Preece, co-creative director at Strong Film & Television, even talked about how her own daughters are "locked into" the Unladylike fandom.

StudioCanal's M-K Kennedy described the show as;

"A rare and exciting blend of twisty Agatha Christie-style whodunnits, female empowerment, and glossy aspirational settings."

It's also a significant step for StudioCanal's bigger mission of turning literature into notable screen adaptations.

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With its writing and two smart teenage sleuths, Murder Most Unladylike looks ready to pull in older book fans and new fans both. The mystery, the laughs, and the friendship feel like a welcome change in the children's TV area.

As Robin Stevens herself says, it's "an adventure as exciting as anything in my books," and if that's true, we're all in for a treat with one really very fun investigation waiting for us all.

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