'Killing Eve' Spinoff Focused on Surprising Character Reportedly in the Works
Killing Eve may be coming to an end on Sunday, but the universe may be expanding! Ahead of the upcoming Killing Eve series finale, BBC America and AMC Networks are reportedly eyeing a Killing Eve spinoff centered around Carolyn Martens, the former Head of the Russia Desk at MI6 portrayed by Fiona Shaw.
Deadline reported Wednesday morning that they understood producer Sid Gentle Films is in "early stage development" on the alleged spinoff, which the outlet confirmed to be about the early life of Carolyn. The outlet added the series has not yet been greenlit and "no timetable on delivery was given." The news came just days after The Sun first reported that a Carolyn-centered spinoff was reportedly in the works.
"In many ways, Carolyn was a bit of a curveball choice for a prequel, but in other ways she was an obvious choice,' an insider said of this new project. The creators could have gone for Villanelle or Eve, but Carolyn provides a different take on things," a source told The Sun. "Bosses felt that Killing Eve had to come to an end but its spirit should live on in a new form, and this is the project they're focusing their efforts on now."
The possible move to center a new series around Carolyn comes after Killing Eve shed some light on her backstory in Season 4, Episode 5, "Don't Get Attached." Airing on March 27, the episode flashed back to 1979 Berlin, revealing the origins of The Twelve and Carolyn's involvement. It is unclear if that episode was meant to serve as a subtle backdoor pilot for the alleged spinoff.
Should the reports be true, this would mark the first spinoff for Killing Eve, the critically acclaimed drama based on Luke Jennings' Codename Villanelle novellas. The series largely focuses on the cat-and-mouse chase between MI6 agent Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh) and assassin Villanelle (Jodie Comer). When BBC America announced in March 2021 that the hit series would end after with its fourth season, it was also confirmed that several spinoffs were in the works from AMC Networks and Sid Gentle Films Ltd. At the time, Dan McDermott, president of original programming for AMC Networks, said they looked forward "to exploring potential extensions of this compelling universe."
In the months since, however, little more was said about any possible spinoffs until Killing Eve Season 4 lead writer Laura Neal hinted earlier in April that the Killing Eve universe could soon expand. Speaking to Radio Times, Neale shared, "I think it's the end of Killing Eve as we know it, but I wouldn't be able to say whether it's the end of the Killing Eve world. I'd love to see something else."
Killing Eve concludes its four-season run on BBC America on Sunday, April 10 with a two-part series finale that kicks off at 8 p.m. ET. The episodes will also be available on AMC+ that same day, with an encore presentation airing Monday on AMC. Fans will have to wait for official work from BBC America on the reported Carolyn spinoff, which likely wouldn't make it to air for several more years.