A24 Wins White Smoke TV Deal, Cumberbatch to Star
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- A24 secured the TV adaptation rights to "White Smoke", beating over a dozen other bidders.
- Benedict Cumberbatch will co‑produce the series with his SunnyMarch company and also star in it.
- White Smoke is a heist novel slated for 2027 publication, about thieves targeting Vatican treasures during a papal conclave.
- Nick Brucker (pseudonym for Nicholas Binge) has already sold the novel in 23 international territories, and his prior novel "Dissolution" was praised by the New York Times and is being adapted by Sony.
- UTA negotiated the deal on behalf of Binge and the filmmakers; both Cumberbatch and Binge are represented by UTA (with additional representation for each).
Why it matters: A24 gains a flagship series that boosts its TV slate, while Cumberbatch expands his production credentials and returns to television; the author secures a worldwide launch for his debut series, and competing bidders miss out on a property with proven international sales.
