Disney+ has acquired Chinese-language crime thriller Taiwan Crime Stories (working title), co-produced by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagine Entertainment with Taiwan’s Calfilms and Hong Kong-based Sixty Percent Productions.
The 12-episode series features four stories inspired by true crime cases from Taiwan, including the terror-stricken mass murder of a family, a chilling rape, a murder case and fraud and injustice cases. The cast includes Rhydian Vaughan, Patrick Shih, Simon Hsueh, Allison Lin, Frederick Lee and Wang Po-Chieh.
The first two stories in the series have already been shot, while the third and fourth stories will begin shooting after the Lunar New Year. The series is being presented by Disney+ under its Star banner and slated to debut on the streaming service in 2022.
The first story, Derailment, revolving around a prosecutor and insurer investigating a train derailment, is adapted and directed by screenwriters Liu Tsun-Han and Aozaru Shiao. Cast is headed by Rhydian Vaughan, Allison Lin, Shih Ming-Shuai, Cheng Ping-Chun, Simon Hsueh and Patrick Shih.
A Matter Of Life And Death, the second story, is about a family mass murder as seen through the eyes of a journalist investigating the journey of the cold-blooded killer. The production team includes screenwriter Shi Hong-Ru and directors Hung Tzu-Hsuan (The Scoundrels) and Scott Hung. Malaysian actor Frederick Lee and Wang Po-Chieh head the cast.
Dark Currents will be directed by Hsu Jui-Liang with Liang Shu-Ting as screenwriter, while the production team of Gravity Of Sin includes director Fan Yang-Chong and screenwriter Lin Yu-Chen.
“The thrill of storytelling is universal, and it has been a privilege for us to have been able to work hand-in-hand with this talented and inspired group of international directors and writers on Taiwan Crime Stories,” said Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, jointly. “We are excited to extend our partnership with Disney into the international marketplace to bring this series to the local market and to audiences worldwide.”