Sylvester Stallone Adapts 4MK Crime Thrillers Into Your Next Must-Watch TV Series

Right, time to talk about Sylvester Stallone—yes, the bloke who basically invented the modern action hero with his bare-knuckle swagger in Rocky and all that heavy artillery in Rambo. The man might well be granddad-age, but he refuses to slow down. If you thought his big move into the world of prestige telly with Tulsa King (where he rocks up in Oklahoma as an exiled New York mobster—because obviously) was a one-off, you’d be wrong. The guy’s clearly having a ball and isn’t about to slip quietly off our screens.

A New Crime Thriller On the Cards

So here’s the latest: Stallone is setting his sights on adapting J.D. Barker’s 4MK series for TV. If you’ve never heard of it, think proper dark crime thrillers, with a serial killer so twisted he’d probably give Hannibal Lecter night sweats. For once, Sly won’t be punching the villain in the face—he’s behind the scenes, producing.

This time, he’s teaming up with Channing Powell, who spent years steering The Walking Dead. So, expect things to get a bit gruesome. The pair are turning Barker’s original trilogy—The Fourth Monkey, The Fifth to Die, and The Sixth Wicked Child—plus a brand new prequel trilogy (that kicks off with The First Scarlet Door this September, by the way) into a “premium” telly series. Admittedly, the whole “premium” label gets thrown around too much, but in this case, there’s every chance it’ll actually mean something. The Stallone brand doesn’t do low-rent telly.

What’s the 4MK Series About?

Here’s the premise: Detective Sam Porter is on the trail of the “Four Monkey Killer”—or 4MK, for short. This villain has an absolutely warped moral code, taking “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” about six steps too far. Victims are meticulously chosen thanks to their shady connections, and—brace yourself—the killer cuts off an ear, an eye, and a tongue from each. Subtle, it ain’t.

Barker’s books have built a sizable fan base, not just for the violence (which, to be honest, does get pretty stomach-turning in places), but for ratcheting up tension and keeping you guessing who’ll end up on the slab next. With Powell’s horror chops and Stallone’s knack for grimy, pulpy drama, there’s good reason to think the adaptation won’t pull its punches.

The Cast & Timeline (So Far)

• Sylvester Stallone: Executive producer; no word yet on whether he’ll appear onscreen, but never say never.
• Channing Powell: Writer and showrunner, straight from zombie territory.
• Source Material: The original 4MK trilogy, plus the newly announced prequel trilogy kicking off in September with The First Scarlet Door.
• Release Date: Nothing set in stone yet—the project’s just been announced, so don’t expect trailers for a while.

Quirks, Controversies, Bloody Details

If you’re wondering how much of Barker’s grisly detail they’ll bring to telly, join the club. The books don’t exactly hold back on graphic content. There could be complaints if they serve everything straight up, but then again, fans would riot if it’s watered down. Worth noting: Stallone’s been surprisingly hands-on with his TV projects lately—so whatever gets made, it won’t be shy with its violence or its moral murkiness.

One thing that’s definite: Barker’s involved directly with the adaptation, which should help keep book lovers happy. And with Stallone having a point to prove in telly-land, odds are he’ll make sure no one phones this in.

'The novels follow Detective Sam Porter as he tries to catch the Four Monkey Killer, whose “hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil” philosophy comes with a body count—ears, eyes, and tongues included.'

Long story short: Stallone plus serial killer drama, run by zombie telly royalty, based on books that think “unsettling” is a compliment. Honestly, as far as crime TV goes, this could be the most fun (or disturbing) thing on the horizon—depending on your tolerance for a bit of the old ultra-violence. Watch this space.