A24 Developing WHITE SMOKE Series With Benedict Cumberbatch Set to Star
A24 is stepping into the world of high-stakes deception and Vatican intrigue, and it’s bringing a heavyweight along for the ride. The studio has secured the rights to White Smoke, an upcoming novel from Nick Brucker, with plans to turn it into a TV series led by Benedict Cumberbatch, who will star in and produce.
White Smoke is a heist story set during one of the most secretive events in the world, a papal conclave. The story follows a crew of manipulative con artists and thieves plotting to pull off an audacious theft of the Vatican’s most valuable treasures.
Even though the novel won’t be released until 2027, there was already a lot of interest in the property. Multiple studios reportedly went after it for both film and television. Since the book is intended to launch a series, the decision leaned toward TV, giving the story room to breathe. In the end, A24 and SunnyMarch put together the winning pitch.
The author behind the book, Nick Brucker, is actually a pseudonym for Nicholas Binge, whose recent novel Dissolution earned major praise, including recognition from The New York Times as one of the best books of 2025.
That project is already being adapted at Sony Pictures, with Eric Heisserer handling the script. Clearly, Binge’s work is having a moment.
For Cumberbatch, this series marks a return to television following his role in the Netflix limited series Eric. His production banner SunnyMarch has been steadily building a strong track record as well, with credits including the Emmy-nominated Patrick Melrose and an adaptation of The Child in Time for BBC One.
On the film side, SunnyMarch has stayed busy with a mix of projects, from The End We Start From starring Jodie Comer to The Mauritanian, which featured Jodie Foster and earned major awards attention. The company has also backed films like The Electrical Life of Louis Wain and the Cold War drama The Courier, both showcasing Cumberbatch in very different roles.
With White Smoke, everything seems lined up for a gripping series that blends crime, mystery, and high-level power games. A24’s track record with prestige TV and Cumberbatch’s ability to anchor complex characters this should end up being a series worth watching.
Source: Deadline