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Neil Cross

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For the English cricketer, see Neil Cross (cricketer).

Neil Cross
BornNeil Claude Gadd
(1969-02-09) 9 February 1969 (age 55)
Bristol, England
OccupationNovelist, crime writer and television scriptwriter
Alma materUniversity of Leeds
Notable worksLuther
Spooks
Doctor Who
Hard Sun
Children2
Website
www.neil-cross.com

Neil Claude Cross (né Gadd; born 9 February 1969) is a British novelist and scriptwriter, best known as the creator of the drama series Luther and Hard Sun. He is also the showrunner for the TV adaptation of The Mosquito Coast, which began airing in 2021.

Life and career

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Neil Claude Gadd was born in Bristol on 9 February 1969, to unhappily married parents, Alan and Edna (née Noyes) Gadd. He was the youngest of their four children.[1] His mother ran away when he was five, returned two years later and took him to Edinburgh with Derek Cross, a White South African who was to become his stepfather and whose surname he would adopt.[2]

Neil Cross graduated from the University of Leeds in 1994 with a degree in English and Theology, and received his Masters in English in the year following.[3] His initial career was solely as a novelist, beginning with Mr In-Between, which was published in 1998 (and adapted into a film in 2001).[citation needed]

He later worked into television, writing an episode of the spy drama Spooks in 2006 before becoming lead writer on the sixth and seventh series of the show. He has written for The Fixer and Doctor Who ("The Rings of Akhaten" and "Hide"). In 2010 he wrote a new adaptation of Whistle and I'll Come to You, from the story by M. R. James.[citation needed]

He has created three television series: BBC crime thrillers Luther and Hard Sun (for which he wrote all the episodes); and Crossbones, an action adventure pirate series for NBC (co-created with James V. Hart and Amanda Welles). Cross co-wrote the screenplay for the 2013 film Mama.[4]

He has continued to write novels, including Always the Sun, which was long-listed for the Booker Prize,[5] Burial and Captured; and has written a memoir Heartland, which was short-listed for the PEN/Ackerley Prize for literary autobiography of excellence. His most recent novel, Luther: The Calling, was published in 2011. In 2019 it was announced he was adapting Burial into what became the ITV series The Sister.[6]

In 2011, Cross was included in Variety magazine's list of "10 Screenwriters to Watch".[7]

Filmography

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Television

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Production Episodes Network
Spooks
  • The Criminal (2006)
  • The Virus: Part 1 (2007)
  • The Virus: Part 2 (2007)
  • Infiltration (2007)
  • Isolated (2007)
  • New Allegiances (2008)
  • Split Loyalties (2008)
  • Nuclear Strike (2008)
 BBC One
The Fixer
  • Episode 4 (2008)
 ITV
Luther
  • Series creator, all episodes (2010–2019)
 BBC One
Whistle and I'll Come to You
  • TV Movie (2010)
 BBC Two
Doctor Who BBC One
Crossbones
  • Series co-creator, 5 episodes (2014)
 NBC
Hard Sun
  • Series creator, all episodes (2018)
 BBC One
The Sister
  • Series creator, all episodes (2020)
 ITV
The Mosquito Coast
  • Series co-creator, 3 episodes (2021–2023)
 Apple TV+
Iris
  • Series creator (TBA)
 Sky Max

Film

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Production Role Distributor
Mr In-Between (2001) Adapted by Peter Waddington, from Cross' novel Verve Pictures
Mama (2013) Co-written with Andy Muschietti & Barbara Muschietti Universal Pictures
Pacific Rim (2013) (uncredited script doctor)[8][9] Warner Bros.
Luther: The Fallen Sun (2023) Written and producer (continuation of the series)[10] Netflix

Bibliography

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  • Mr In-Between (1998), initially to be entitled Adrenochrome
  • Christendom (1999)
  • Holloway Falls (2003)
  • Always the Sun (2004)
  • Heartland (a memoir) (2006)
  • Natural History (2007)
  • Burial (2009)
  • Captured (2010)
  • Luther: The Calling (2011)

Awards and nominations

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Luther Series 1

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  • Winner, Luther, Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best Teleplay in 2010 (Episode 1).
  • Nominee, Luther, Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best Teleplay in 2010 (Episode 4).
  • Nominee, Luther, NAACP Image Award, Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special

Luther Series 2

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  • Nominee, Neil Cross, Primetime Emmy Award 2012, Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special
  • Nominee, Luther, Primetime Emmy Award 2012, Outstanding Miniseries or Movie
  • Winner, Luther, Creative Diversity Network, Radio Times Drama award 2011
  • Winner, Luther, Royal Television Society, Best Drama Series 2011
  • Nominee, Luther, Broadcast Television Journalists Association Critics' Choice Television Awards 2012, Best Movie/Miniseries

Luther Series 3

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  • Nominee, Neil Cross, Primetime Emmy Award 2014, Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special
  • Nominee, Luther, Primetime Emmy Award 2013, Outstanding Miniseries

Books

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References

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  1. ^ "Biography, crime novelist and script writer Neil Cross". Neil Cross. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  2. ^ Biodata, theguardian.com. Accessed 13 August 2022.
  3. ^ "Leeds Alumni Online - University of Leeds". alumni.leeds.ac.uk. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  4. ^ "Mama". CityBeat Cincinnati. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  5. ^ "The Man Booker Prize 2004 | The Booker Prizes". thebookerprizes.com. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  6. ^ White, Peter (14 October 2019). "'Years & Years' Russell Tovey To Star In ITV Drama 'Because The Night' From 'Luther' Creator Neil Cross". Deadline. Archived from the original on 14 October 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  7. ^ "10 Screenwriters to Watch". Variety. 2011.
  8. ^ "'Luther' Creator Neil Cross Set to Grow Ghost House's 'Day of the Triffids' Adaptation". The Hollywood Reporter. 29 February 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  9. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (26 March 2012). "'Luther' Creator Neil Cross Signs Overall Deal With Universal Television". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  10. ^ Robinson, Jacob (21 December 2022). "'Luther: The Fallen Sun' Idris Elba Netflix Movie: Everything We Know So Far". What's on Netflix. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  11. ^ "TV show-inspired tale scoops the 2012 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel | Booksellers New Zealand". Archived from the original on 10 February 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  12. ^ "Theakston Old Peculier crime novel of the year longlist revealed". Harrogate Informer. 18 May 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  13. ^ "ALAN BENNETT IN LINE FOR MEMOIR PRIZE PEN/Ackerley Prize shortlist announced" (PDF). Englishpen.org. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  14. ^ "The Man Booker Prize 2004 | the Man Booker Prizes". Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
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