Michael Weston to co start 'Houdini & Doyle' 

Fox is saying “abracadabra” to David Shore’s supernatural adventure series “Houdini & Doyle” with ten episodes set to debut next year on the network.

Michael Weston (“House,” “Six Feet Under”) and Stephen Mangan (“Episodes”) have nabbed the two title roles in the period drama, inspired by true events. Stephen Hopkins (“24,” “Californication”) has signed on as director.

Rounding out the cast, Rebecca Liddiard (“Man Seeking Woman”), has been set as Constable Adelaide Stratton, the first female constable ever to work for the London Metropolitan Police Force.

The series revolves around master magician, escape artist and paranormal debunker, Harry Houdini (Weston) and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Mangan), the prolific writer, paranormal aficionado and creator of “Sherlock Holmes,” as they grudgingly join forces with New Scotland Yard to investigate inexplicable crimes with a supernatural slant.

“I’ve long been intrigued by both Houdini and Doyle; men who were ahead of their time, each fascinating in their own right. But the idea that these two, seemingly so different, could have been friends is almost too perfect,” said exec producer Shore. “In Michael and Stephen, we have found two incredible actors that embody the intelligence, humor and mystique of these men who, even when viewed through the lens of history, are larger than life.”

The international U.K./Canada Treaty co-production from U.K.’s Big Talk Productions and Canada’s Shaftesbury, in association with Shore Z Productions, hails from scribes David Titcher and David Hoselton who serve as exec producers with the “House” creator. Big Talk’s Kenton Allen, Matthew Justice and Luke Alkin, plus Shaftesbury’s Christina Jennings, Maggie Murphy and Scott Garvie also exec produce.

Fox’s stateside premiere date has not been set, other than sometime in 2016, but the series will premiere on ITV Encore and Canada’s Global in spring 2016. Sony Pictures TV is the distributor.

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