AMC Is Developing a Show Based on the Bestselling Bannerman Spy Books

AMC Networks has announced that it has acquired the rights to John Maxim’s Bannerman spy book series and that it will be developing a “potential television series” based on it with Iron Man’s Shane Black, The Walking Dead’s Greg Nicotero, and Friday the 13th’s Brian Witten.

Maxim, who will serve as a consulting producer on the series, released the first book in the series – The Bannerman Solution – in 1989, and wrote four more novels in the series after it – The Bannerman Effect, Bannerman’s Law, Bannerman’s Promise, and Bannerman’s Ghosts.

“Paul Bannerman was once his nation’s deadliest weapon – a top covert operative heading up the most lethal group of contract agents and network specialists in all of Europe,” The official description for The Bannerman Solution reads. “Now Bannerman is a liability – an unpredictable loose cannon that could irreparably damage America’s shaky intelligence structure, if he chose to. So the decision has come down from the top: Bannerman and his people must be eliminated.

“Suddenly death is running in Westport, Connecticut – one in a nationwide network of secret ‘halfway towns’ where the country’s most dangerous former agents have been ‘retired.’ At war with powerful elements within his own government – a war not of his making – Bannerman has been lured here to this place of yard sales, mini-vans, commuter trains, and murder. The plan is for Bannerman and those he ran to die here, quietly. But Bannerman has other plans.”

Black, who also wrote Lethal Weapon, said that “Maxim is an untapped national treasure, and AMC provides a proper fit.” Nicotero also shared a few words regarding his excitement for the project.

“I read this entire series years ago and found the contrasting worlds of these dark and tortured souls desperate to live normal lives quite compelling,” Nicotero said. “To partner with Shane on this, who shares the same passion that I do for the books, takes this project to a whole other level.”

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Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Shane Black Image Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Greg Nicotero Image Credit: Gilbert Flores via Getty Images

Brian Witten Image Credit: Jonathan Leibson/WireImage