The Napoleon of Crime
By Mel Evans
To become the first pacifist godfather of crime, real-life Victorian gentlemen thief, Adam Worth, battles the mastermind he inspired—Arthur Conan Doyle’s Moriarty.
Hour-long Series | Crime, Drama, Historical
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Mel Evans
Pitch Deck
Think of Peaky Blinders
meets Sherlock Holmes.
Synopsis
You’re remembered for the rules you break.
“The most remarkable, most successful and most dangerous professional criminal known to modern times”
— The Pinkertons on Adam Worth
Before Moriarty had ever been deemed “The Napoleon of Crime,” the moniker was used by Scotland Yard to describe Adam Worth. Rife with contradiction and hypocrisy, Adam was a conscientious criminal convinced he could steal his way into the aristocracy and remain a good person. Eventually, this gentle-hearted underworld rogue became the man behind the curtain in 90% of major robberies across Europe. Despite his brilliant mind, the story of Adam’s epic rise and fall remains virtually unknown, but millions know Professor Moriarty, who was based upon him. This chronicle with a twist rights that wrong, pitting Adam against his callous alter-ego while revealing the extraordinary life of a gentleman thief unable to tame his ravenous appetite for love, wealth and status.
Each week this series explores camaraderie and consequence in the morally flexible, forcing a collision between original characters, real people and their deeply connected IP. Adam and Moriarty become drawn towards mutual hatred, respect, and dependency. The lives of those around them grow increasingly entangled through illegal exploits, unlikely friendships, and manipulation. And flashbacks will reveal pivotal moments in Adam’s journey, from bounty jumping in the army to breaking his friend out of a New York prison and running an illegal casino in Paris. At its heart is a show asking whether a criminal’s virtues can outweigh their crimes, while challenging biases in societal morality through the unique struggle each character faces.
Script
Mel’s Projects
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The Napoleon of Crime
To become the first pacifist godfather of crime, real-life Victorian gentlemen thief, Adam Worth, battles the mastermind he inspired—Arthur Conan Doyle’s Moriarty.
Supercide
San Francisco’s tragic superheroes fight deepening psychological trauma in a world where anyone who gains a superpower also accepts a 12-month death sentence.
By Mel Evans
To become the first pacifist godfather of crime, real-life Victorian gentlemen thief, Adam Worth, battles the mastermind he inspired—Arthur Conan Doyle's Moriarty.
Hour-long Series | Crime, Drama, Historical
Pitch Deck
Think of Peaky Blinders
meets Sherlock Holmes.
Synopsis
You’re remembered for the rules you break.
“The most remarkable, most successful and most dangerous professional criminal known to modern times”
— The Pinkertons on Adam Worth
Before Moriarty had ever been deemed “The Napoleon of Crime,” the moniker was used by Scotland Yard to describe Adam Worth. Rife with contradiction and hypocrisy, Adam was a conscientious criminal convinced he could steal his way into the aristocracy and remain a good person. Eventually, this gentle-hearted underworld rogue became the man behind the curtain in 90% of major robberies across Europe. Despite his brilliant mind, the story of Adam’s epic rise and fall remains virtually unknown, but millions know Professor Moriarty, who was based upon him. This chronicle with a twist rights that wrong, pitting Adam against his callous alter-ego while revealing the extraordinary life of a gentleman thief unable to tame his ravenous appetite for love, wealth and status.
Each week this series explores camaraderie and consequence in the morally flexible, forcing a collision between original characters, real people and their deeply connected IP. Adam and Moriarty become drawn towards mutual hatred, respect, and dependency. The lives of those around them grow increasingly entangled through illegal exploits, unlikely friendships, and manipulation. And flashbacks will reveal pivotal moments in Adam’s journey, from bounty jumping in the army to breaking his friend out of a New York prison and running an illegal casino in Paris. At its heart is a show asking whether a criminal’s virtues can outweigh their crimes, while challenging biases in societal morality through the unique struggle each character faces.
