Erik Barmack’s Wild Sheep Content Boards SkyNZ Murder Mystery ‘Good Bones,’ From Luminous Beast, Behind Intl. Emmy Winner ‘Inside’ (EXCLUSIVE)

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Excited by early sales to France, Germany, and Spain for the upcoming Icelandic crime series “Reykjavik Fusion,” Erik Barmack’s forward-thinking Los Angeles company Wild Sheep Content has signed on to produce “Good Bones,” a New Zealand murder mystery series.

In collaboration with Luminous Beast, Wild Sheep – a production company led by Barmack, who was previously in charge of international originals at Netflix and oversaw popular series like “The Witcher,” “Money Heist,” “Kingdom,” and “Sacred Games” – will co-produce the show titled “Good Bones.

One of New Zealand’s highly sought-after new production companies, Luminous Beast, made a striking debut with the Sky Originals series “INSiDE,” which won the 2021 International Emmy Award. Following this success, their production “After the Party” was acquired by the U.K.’s Channel 4. The main performance by Robyn Malcolm in this series was praised by The Guardian as one of the best television performances in recent years, rivaling portrayals from anywhere around the globe.

Backed by The Mediapro Studio, Wild Sheep will also handle international distribution. 

“Good Bones” is now funded by Sky New Zealand and Wild Sheep Content.   

Established in 2019, Wild Sheep Company gained attention for its knack at collaborating with international streaming platforms. Over the course of its four-year existence, it successfully sold more than 25 projects to twelve global partners, one of which was the 2024 SEGA video game crime action drama “Like a Dragon, Yakuza,” produced in collaboration with Amazon MGM Studios.

Recently, I’ve noticed a growing trend with Wild Sheep Productions unveiling new projects. As a movie critic, I can appreciate the strategy they’ve employed: “In today’s cautious global media landscape, we’re discovering immense potential in partnering with gifted creators from lesser-known regions to share their local narratives on a global scale,” Barmack explained. This approach not only broadens the horizons of international cinema but also gives a voice to untold stories, making it an exciting time for film enthusiasts like myself.

On the French network TF1, the debut of “Erica,” an adaptation based on Camila Láckberg’s popular crime novels from Fjällbacka, attracted approximately 5.2 million viewers.

The murder mystery comedy “Good Bones” was written by Luminous Beast founders Dan Musgove and Shoshana McCallum, and directed by another founder Peter Salmon. This production features Josh Thomson (“Wrecking Crew”) in a role centered around Sal, a chronic procrastinator.

As a movie reviewer, I found myself immersed in a gripping tale where the protagonist, Sal, faces an unexpected challenge when his pregnant wife, Meghan, pushes him to demonstrate his readiness for fatherhood. In a moment of impulse, he purchases a dilapidated estate that once belonged to someone who met a mysterious end. The sight of the rundown villa prompts Meghan to leave him and seek refuge with her parents. With the baby’s arrival looming, Sal is left alone to renovate this fixer-upper.

However, the house’s dark past casts a long shadow over its renovation. The previous owner met an untimely death within these walls, and his wife vanished without a trace – a cold case that Sal must solve before he can complete the renovations. This suspenseful blend of family drama and murder mystery promises to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

In the narrative of ‘Good Bones’, a mature protagonist finds himself caught in a tale of self-discovery, urgently working to unravel a mystery and complete a roof repair project before it threatens his marital bond.

Occasionally, it seems as though the path to success for a producer involves securing financial backing from the government, or creating productions based on popular novels and soap operas, as Barmack explained to EbMaster.

The show ‘Good Bones’ is produced by a team known for creating top-tier series. It’s in collaboration with Sky and funded by New Zealand, making it available worldwide in English. The topics it explores are universal, ensuring its appeal across various audiences.

Additionally, Barmack pointed out that “Good Bones” combines three distinct elements: one-third romantic comedy, one-third home improvement, and one-third murder investigation. To my knowledge, these genres haven’t been blended before.

Thomas Robins, a senior executive at Sky Originals, expressed his admiration for Josh Thomson as well as the creative team at Luminous Beast. Notably, they are the recipients of an Emmy award,” stated Robins.

It was genuinely thrilling to learn they would share Good Bones – an exceptional, distinctly New Zealand narrative – with us. We’re eager to assist them (and their dedication to nurturing local talent) in this innovative adaptation of a classic Kiwi home renovation tale. This heartwarming story is bound to resonate with a wide audience.

Programs produced by the Luminous team frequently garner international attention. The duo, Musgrove and McCallum, were scriptwriters for “Creamerie,” a U.S. series picked up by Hulu. Salmon directed episodes of “Wanted,” which was acquired by Netflix, earning him a Best Director New Zealand TV Award.

EbMaster shared a few thoughts with both McCallum and Musgrove regarding the unique structure of “Good Bones,” its nuanced exploration of growing up, and the surprising fact that living in Auckland costs more than residing on the French Riviera.

Erik refers to “Good Bones” as starting off as a romantic comedy with a hint of home renovation, later incorporating elements of a murder mystery. Instead of simply blending genres, this appears to be a unique form of layering different genres together.

Dan Musgrove: That’s an excellent observation! New Zealand has a knack for producing dark, eerie comedies that thrive with a solid pair at the heart, often romantically involved but frequently more like buddies. We initially envisioned a typical Kiwi male, who is essentially all talk and no action when it comes to getting things done. His wife usually ends up as the main sufferer in this scenario. We placed him at the center of a home renovation project, which turns out to be a real-life nightmare, and then added a criminal investigation on top of it.

And what inspired that?

Musgrove: Our idea for the story emerged from our shared, less than ideal experiences with home renovations. I nearly ended my marriage over tiling issues. It’s during these challenging times that relationships are strained the most, and we imagined him discovering a body or hidden evidence within the walls. This realization made us understand that not only does the house require cosmetic improvements, but it also needs a thorough investigation.

You also described “Good Bones” as a coming-of-age story…. 

In a romantic dynamic, there’s often an ebb and flow. One character experiences a sudden realization that they need to mature, which leads them to express something like: “Wow, we need to grow up.” This individual is under significant stress and tends to blame the other person who might indeed require some personal growth, but they are both embarking on an enlightening self-discovery process. Growing up doesn’t mean abandoning all enjoyable activities; instead, it’s a tale of maturation for both characters and their relationship, intertwined with elements of home improvement mishaps and crime scene investigations.

In a time when numerous series are visually stunning but fail to resonate emotionally, what we yearn for is sincerity and heart. I suspect that the lead actor Josh Thomson will deliver exactly that through the empathy he generates with the widespread, often misunderstood male audience, as indicated by various reports.

As a movie enthusiast, I’ve got to say Josh is an exceptional dramatic actor, and he had always envisioned himself in dramatic roles before comedy came knocking. However, his humor is infectious, and he carries off the bumbling idiot so effortlessly. It’s truly a delightful blend of warmth and wit when you see it all come together. On our series “INSiDE,” which shared similar tonal qualities, we hadn’t seen such depth in his performance until we collaborated on that project. It’s thrilling to continue working with him and witnessing his growth as an actor.

“Good Bones” looks to be given a singularity by being set in the Auckland housing market… 

Musgrove: We’re facing a unique housing predicament, particularly in Auckland, New Zealand. Despite being among the cities with the highest per capita income worldwide, Auckland also has one of the most exorbitant housing costs.

You: At some time while living in Auckland, I came across information stating that Grey Lynn, a district of Auckland itself, was pricier compared to the French Riviera.

Are your personal artistic styles becoming apparent in your work, as they’re not identical to previous series?

Musgrove: We didn’t originally spearhead the production of “After the Party,” a creation by Robyn Malcolm and acclaimed New Zealand writer Dianne Taylor. However, we aim to be a business that leads in creativity. With a few more projects under our belt, we can trace a clear lineage, showing that our productions, from Inside to Good Bones, are slightly offbeat psychological comedies.

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2025-02-18 11:18