Apple TV+ has secured the rights to adapt High Wire, a gripping thriller by Australian bestselling author Candice Fox (Crimson Lake, Gone By Midnight), into a TV series, sources confirmed to Deadline. Ridley Scott’s(The Man in the High Castle, The Pillars of the Earth) production company, Scott Free, will produce the series under its first-look deal with Apple TV+. However, the project is still in early development and has no writers attached to it yet. Simonne Overend (Black Scorpion, Hard Pill), known for her work in the industry, will executive produce the series.
According to Deadline, High Wire, published in September 2024, takes readers on a high-stakes adventure through the Australian outback following former soldier Harvey Buck as he races to reach his dying girlfriend. Along the way, he encounters Clare Holland, a stranded traveler, and offers her a ride. This seemingly small act spirals into a nightmare when they are ambushed by a vengeful crew, forced into bomb vests, and made to carry out increasingly dangerous missions.
Deadline lists Fox as an acclaimed crime novelist, winning Australia’s prestigious Ned Kelly Award three times for her work, which includes nine solo novels. Alongside her solo projects, Fox has collaborated frequently with James Patterson(Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich, Instinct) , co-authoring seven New York Times bestsellers. Her previous book series, Crimson Lake, was adapted into the ABC Television series Troppo, starring Thomas Jane(Troppo ,Texas Rising) and Nicole Chamoun (Safe Harbour, The Doctor Blake Mysteries).
Scott Free is known for producing major films and TV projects, including Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II, Alien: Romulus, and the Apple TV+ series Prime Target, starring Leo Woodall (The White Lotus, One Day). The company’s upcoming slate also includes Echo Valley and Dope Thief for Apple TV+.
Fox is repped by Gaby Naher at The Naher Agency and Independent Artist Group. With high-profile backing and a compelling premise, High Wire is poised to become a standout series in Apple’s growing lineup.
