Buchanan debut optioned by Gaumont UK

Gaumont UK has optioned Greg Buchanan's debut literary thriller Sixteen Horses to develop it into a drama series. 

The debut, to be published by Pan Macmillan imprint Mantle Books on 29th April, is set in a small British seaside community that the rest of the world has left behind. Following the discovery of 16 horses’ heads on a farm, each buried with a single eye facing the low winter sun, local police detective Alec Nichols and forensic veterinarian Cooper Allen soon uncover evidence of a chain of crimes in the community all culminating in the reveal of something deadly lurking in the ground itself. 

Gaumont UK pursued the book for two years after being "enthralled" by the first chapter in 2018 and won screen rights at auction from Michelle Kroes on behalf of CAA. Gaumont UK's c.e.o Alison Jackson will executive produce the project. 

Jackson said: "Sixteen Horses is an utterly fascinating story, wonderfully written by Greg in a cinematic way that we believe will translate beautifully to the screen, and appeal to audiences both in the UK and globally. Gaumont UK is passionate about developing stories from a uniquely British perspective and discovering new voices, of which we have both in Sixteen Horses."

Buchanan commented: "So many of my influences in writing Sixteen Horses were from television and cinema—'Don’t Look Now', 'Picnic at Hanging Rock', 'Blue Velvet' and 'True Detective' — that I’m fascinated to see how the novel’s dark, existential atmosphere translates back on to screen. I am thrilled to be working with the team at Gaumont UK—of all the studios we spoke with, their vision was closest to what I’d imagined, and I can’t wait for audiences to see the results of our collaboration."