Benedict Cumberbatch is set to serve as executive producer on The Annecy Murders, a six-part limited series based on the chilling, unsolved Chevaline killings that took place in the French Alps in 2012.
The real-life crime — involving the execution-style murders of a British-Iraqi family and a French cyclist — shocked the world and remains one of Europe’s most mysterious unsolved cases.
The series will dramatize the events of September 5, 2012, when engineer Saad al-Hilli, his wife, her mother, and cyclist Sylvain Mollier were gunned down near Lake Annecy. Two young girls, aged four and seven, miraculously survived the brutal attack but were not discovered by police for hours.
The killings sparked a massive multinational investigation, with law enforcement agencies from at least six countries, including the UK, France, Iraq, and Switzerland, participating. Despite interviewing nearly a thousand witnesses, the case remains open. French authorities recently reopened the investigation, reigniting public and media interest.
Produced by Carrousel Studios — founded by Louis Leterrier, Omar Sy, and Thomas Benski — in partnership with Cumberbatch’s SunnyMarch and Bob Cooper’s Landscape, the series aims to blend international intrigue with deep emotional storytelling.
“When we first came across this story, we immediately saw its incredible potential,” said Cooper. “It’s a haunting case that has everything — a compelling mystery, international intrigue, and profound human drama.”
Executive producer Cécile Gaget added that the recent revival of the case gave the project renewed urgency and relevance.
Filming is scheduled to begin in early 2026 across France and the UK. Casting has not yet been announced.
SR
