Legendary Sherlock Co-Creator Teams Up with Game of Thrones Star for Unforgettable New Project

Summary

Leading the way in adapting Arthur Conan Doyle's Lot No. 249 into a hauntingly captivating Christmas ghost story is none other than Mark Gatiss, renowned co-creator of Sherlock. Joining him in this thrilling venture are the talented duo of Kit Harington and Freddie Fox, who have been cast in the compelling lead roles.

Lot No. 249 is a chilling tale set during the end of the Empire, centering around Oxford students and the ancient mysteries of Egypt. It has previously been transformed into adaptations for both television and film, offering a unique blend of horror and comedy.

Within Doyle's extensive body of work, this eerie tale has served as inspiration for narratives featuring resurrected mummies, including the renowned movie, The Mummy. Gatiss and his team have the potential to rejuvenate fascination in this overlooked creature.

Mark Gatiss, the co-creator of Sherlock, is returning to the world of Arthur Conan Doyle with a special featuring an actor from Game of Thrones. Gatiss, who worked alongside Stephen Moffat on the highly acclaimed Sherlock Holmes series, is now bringing Doyle's short story Lot No. 249 to life. The special will star Kit Harington, who played Jon Snow in Game of Thrones. Additionally, Freddie Fox from The Great will also be a part of the Christmas special. Details on Sherlock season 5 are still awaited.

“It brings me great joy to once again immerse myself in the remarkable works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, particularly his Christmas ghost story. Lot No.249 holds a special place in my heart and is considered the pioneer of a distinctive genre of terrifying tales that mark the decline of the Empire. This enthralling narrative is filled with spine-chilling frights and the unknown lurking within the closets of Victorian era…”

Lot No. 249 Has Been Adapted Before

The synopsis for Lot No. 249 reads as follows:

A group of Oxford students are the focus of this story, in which one of them conducts research on the secrets of Ancient Egypt. The results of their experiments become the subject of conversation among the students. The main question is whether these experiments can truly bring the mysterious Lot. No 249, who is nothing more than a horrifying bag of bones, back to life. At the time when Egyptology was popular in Britain, Doyle's original tale had a significant impact on later stories about reanimated mummies, such as the iconic film The Mummy starring Boris Karloff. It also served as an inspiration for zombie fiction. The story's influence on the horror genre is evident in Anne Rice's work, as she dedicated her story The Mummy, or Ramses the Damned to Doyle.

Lot. No 249 was first adapted for television in 1967 as part of the BBC program Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It was also featured in the 1990 anthology film Tales From the Darkside: The Movie, which gave it a horror-comedy twist in an episode starring Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore, and Christian Slater. Given Gatiss’ previous experience with Doyle's works, it will be intriguing to see how he approaches this particularly eerie entry in the famous writer's bibliography. Mummies may not be in high demand after the disappointing performance of the 2017 film The Mummy, but perhaps Gatiss, Harington, and their team can rejuvenate interest in these overlooked creatures.