Raf Spall as amnesiac super detective in 'The Death of Sherlock Holmes': 'It's a clean slate'

Raf Spall was one of the biggest names at this week's Cannes MIPCOM, where he gave his take on Deadline's detective extraordinaire Sherlock Holmes. The Trying Star leads The Death of Sherlock Holmes, the gap between his apparent death at Reichenbach Falls and his reappearance in The Adventure of the […]

Raf Spall was one of the biggest names at this week's Cannes MIPCOM, where he gave his take on Deadline's detective extraordinaire Sherlock Holmes.

The Trying Star leads The Death of Sherlock Holmes, which bridges the gap between the detective's apparent death at Reichenbach Falls in 1891 and his reappearance in The Empty House adventure three years later.

Set against the backdrop of the Swiss Alps, the story follows an Englishman (Spall) who is barely found alive in an icy mountain river by local woman Alma (Delilla Piasco) and her young son Franz. When the village doctor is murdered, the villagers turn to the boy - leaving the forgotten stranger, who is experiencing flashbacks from a previous life in England, as his only hope for the return of his powers. Related News Domestic News: Excursion to MIPCOM Cannes; The test of the Russell brand began. Nicole Wallace interview with BBC studio execs BBC studios boss says streaming is the future but linear still pays the bills

"What makes it original is the fact that he's someone who doesn't know who he is," Spall told us at the Hotel Majestic on the Croisette. He gets these sparks of brilliant inference that lead him to understand what kind of person he is, and eventually maybe find out that he is the most famous detective in the world. Watch on Deadline

Piasco said the relationship between Holmes and Alma is central to the story. "It's very special that this Englishman doesn't judge him," he added. "He's a bachelor who lives in a small village and is treated with contempt and experiences a kind of rejection. With him, everything is different."

Spall said that this amnesia allowed him to create a fresh take on the character and freed him from comparisons to other Sherlocks.

“It's a clean slate. "I didn't feel like I was following the great actors who have played him in the past - Benedict Cumberbatch, Jeremy Burt, Basil Rathbone, Robert Downey Jr. and all these wonderful people."

The show is a co-production between Sky and SRF in Switzerland, Germany's ARD Degeto and Bell Media's Sphere Abacus, which brought Spall to Cannes this week. The series will be broadcast on Sky in the UK and Ireland, as well as on Sky in Switzerland and Germany. FFF Bayern from Germany and IDM Film Commission from Italy support this series.

Spall's face was all over town as he also starred in Channel 4's drama Number 10, which ITV Studios has been shopping. He talked about playing a British prime minister - revealing he met one during the research stage - and playing Arthur Weasley in the upcoming HBO TV series Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - while comparing his role to that of his father, Timothy Spall, on the set.

Here is the full interview with Spall and Piasco.

Deadline: Rough, there are different versions of Sherlock at any given time. This one is a bit unique and suffers from amnesia and doesn't know who he is. How was the color you wanted to bring to the character? What do you think is the core of this version of Sherlock?

Raf Spall: What makes it original is the fact that he's someone who doesn't know who he is. He gets these sparks of brilliant inference that lead him to understand what kind of person he is, and eventually maybe find out that he is the most famous detective in the world.

This is a clean slate. I didn't feel like I was following the great actors who had played him in the past - Benedict Cumberbatch, Jeremy Burt, Basil Rathbone, Robert Downey Jr. and all these wonderful people. That comparison is somewhat washed away by the fact that I can say, if people think I'm rubbish at this, I can say it's a different Sherlock Holmes. It was completely different.

If this was one of Conan Doyle's novels, adapted by Steven Moffat, I'd be a lot more scared. But great figures in modern Western law are always open to interpretation. Hamlet ends every year, and so does Sherlock Holmes, because they are wonderful works and wonderful characters that can sustain different forms and approaches.

DEADLINE: Delilah, when Sherlock — or whoever it is at the beginning of the show — walks into Alma's life, what is her impression of this man who seems to have come out of nowhere? He can be helpful, or he can be a disaster for him.

Delilah Piasco: They are strangers, and they become accomplices. We tell the story of their acquaintance with each other. They're both lost in the world, so their relationship is really the core of the show. It is about the relationship between the Englishman and Alma. This is a journey with them. Alma realizes that she needs him. He is a lone wolf, but at some point he needs a partner - someone to help him.

The very special thing is that this Englishman does not judge him. She is a single mother who lives in a small village and is treated with contempt. He experiences some kind of deprivation. It is different with him. This is the beginning of a friendship - or whatever it becomes.

DEADLINE: Most of the Sherlock Holmes stories are mysteries - intricate, complex and brilliantly written. Would you describe the series as a mystery or does it fit in somewhere else?

SPALL: Fans of the genre will be satisfied with the whodunit - the question of how something happened and the mysterious nature of it. They will also be thrilled to see this famous character's power of deduction shine through.

Interestingly, Conan Doyle got tired of writing Sherlock Holmes. He killed him when Holmes and Moriarty fell from Reichenbach Falls. Then, I think, he lost the money, so he brought her back three years later. This is the first attempt I can think of to fill in the gaps of what happened, so it's not based on a Conan Doyle novel. This is a new story that we hope will meet people's expectations. The Sherlock Holmes story has many mysteries and a classic Holmes at its heart.

DEADLINE: When did you first hear about this project and what drew you to it?

Spall: My agent called and said they were doing a remake of Sherlock Holmes and asked if I wanted to talk to the people who made it. I found it very attractive and beautiful and I thought it was really original. They asked me, I said yes and we are here. It probably came to me about a year ago, although I think the project was in the works for a while and then quickly got picked up.

DEADLINE: Delilah, was the process similar for you?

Piasco: Yes, around the same time. I read the script and thought it was fantastic. I was very lucky.

SPALL: We had a great time because we were shooting in some very rugged locations—the Swiss Alps, the Italian Alps, and a big city in Bavaria called Regensburg. We were in fairly remote locations, so it was very important to surround ourselves with good people. We really bonded and had fun making it.

Deadline: With European co-productions, different parties can sometimes go in different directions to serve their respective audiences. Was this feeling more comprehensive and complete?

Piasco: There were different approaches. Our show is about cultural encounters and of course it has different experiences. It's also a multilingual show, so behind the scenes you have to communicate somehow, but I think the beauty of it is that it enlarges this world and makes it bolder, especially when you have different languages. It was very creatively freeing. We are very welcome to bring our nerves and ideas.

SPALL: From a commercial point of view, it's an interesting example of a new way of putting together big TVs in Europe. It is out of the American co-production market and a new way must be found.

I can only speak from an English perspective, or as someone who makes mainly British film and television, but I think there have been some very successful examples of this new model. This collection is an example of the change and evolution of the industry. When it came to me, I knew that Sky Switzerland and Sky Germany were paying upfront, and then it was bought by Sky UK, who I had worked with before. I was the only English person which I thought fit because Sherlock Holmes is in the Swiss Alps.

DEADLINE: Raph, you're doing a lot right now. What does the next year or two look like for you?

Spall: I'm doing Harry Potter right now. If people like it, I'll do it for a long time. Then next year I'll be doing the second season of Under Salt Marsh. I have issue 10 which I think is coming out soon and ITV Studios is selling it. Maybe there will be another season of Trying - we'll see. who knows I am very lucky to get paid to do what I love. This is the only skill I can trade for cash. No one else would accept money for anything else I could offer.

DEADLINE: And what do the next few years look like for you, Delilah?

Piasco: There are things coming, but I can't share them yet. Maybe there will be in the second season of The Death of Sherlock Holmes - we'll see. There are also other projects in the pipeline, including the German TV show Zweifel, which won Best Series at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. The second season will air next January.

DEADLINE: Are you nervous about Harry Potter, Raph? We hear the sets look amazing, like nothing else.

SPALL: I've never seen production values like that. I've been lucky enough to do big franchise projects like Prometheus and Jurassic World, but I've never seen a set like this. Kate Hall, who does hair and makeup and worked on The Crown, is fantastic. Holly Waddington, Oscar winner for Poor Things, is doing the costumes. I have never come out of clothing accessories so excited. I was around a real genius - a costume designer that just blows my mind.

Deadline: In light of the controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling?

Spall: I'm unfortunately not on any form of social media, and I don't feel like I have anything more to contribute to this discussion. I feel truly blessed to be a part of something filled with incredibly creative and brilliant people all working at the top of their game. It has legendary actors. Katherine Parkinson and I play Weasley's parents, and I think she's one of the best actors in the world. He is fantastic. The other day it was me, him, Kit Harington and Johnny Flynn. It was just fun.

DEADLINE: You've said you're hoping for a second season of The Death of Sherlock Holmes…

SPALL: If people like it, we'll do more of it. There are more stories to tell.

Vitak: I also wanted to ask you about number 10. Obviously, the UK Prime Minister is never just one person and can be whoever you want. But there is an image in people's minds of what a prime minister is. What was your impression of playing this character?