When he’s not writing some of the most affecting albums of the era, did you know that songwriting giant Nick Cave is also a novelist, too?
If that’s music to your ears, you’re going to love this — Cave’s second novel, The Death of Bunny Munro, is being adapted for TV, and is headed to Sky Atlantic next year. First announced back at the end of November 2023, we’ve now got our first look at the show in the image above.
Starring Doctor Who and House of the Dragon star Matt Smith, it follows the titular Bunny Munro (played by Smith), a sex-addicted door-to-door beauty products salesman, in the wake of his wife’s suicide. Bunny’s joined by nine-year old Bunny Junior (played by newcomer Rafael Mathé), joining his deadbeat dad on a door-to-door cross country country odyssey as they look to forge a new relationship with each other — all while Bunny senior tries to get off with every potential customer he meets, and Bunny Junior contacts the ghost of his dearly departed mum.
Dark comedy with a supernatural side
For those unfamiliar with the novel, released back in 2009, it’s a genre-defying turn from Nick Cave. It’s both at turns comedic and dark, supernatural and groundedly gritty. Smith is an inspired choice to take the lead — an actor who can at turns both be flamboyant and funny, but also brooding and violent.
A six-part series, the adaptation has been written by BAFTA winner Pete Jackson (Somewhere Boy) and is directed by BAFTA-nominated Isabella Eklöf (Industry, Holiday). Cave acts as Executive Producer, as does Matt Smith.
No firm release date for this one yet beyond that 2025 window, but it’ll hit both Sky Atlantic and the Now streaming service too. We’ll keep you posted.
