Mariam Naoum, Terry George Team on "The Alexandria Killings"

Egyptian writer Mariam Naoum and Oscar-winning Irish writer-director Terry George have teamed up to co-write the serial killer series “The Alexandria Killings”, which George will also serve as showrunner.

The high-end show in Arabic and English is based on the true story of Egyptian sisters and serial killers Raya and Sakina Bint Hamman, who in the 1920s robbed and murdered at least 17 women and were subsequently sentenced to death. The notorious case has already spawned several local films, plays, and books.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Raya and Sakina[/caption]

“The Alexandria Killings” is produced by Yalla Yalla. The producers are Front Row’s Gianluca Chakra, Rocket Science’s Thorsten Schumacher, and George. Hisham AlGhanim, Michela Scolari, who is represented by Larry Hummel, and Nayla Al Khaja, who is represented by Adel Nur will executive produce.

The series will form the first installment of a Middle East and North Africa-based true crime anthology series set in various periods and locations within the Arab world.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="723"] Mariam Naoum[/caption]

In a statement, George expressed his delight in working with Naoum to tackle a subject matter that contains all the captivating elements of a legendary crime as well as encompasses global themes of sexism, jealousy, greed, and lost love.

“At this point of my career, I really believe that merging the experiences of Middle Eastern and Western filmmakers is crucial for film and TV industry. It will help perfect the adaptation of the story,” Naoum added.

Front Row chief Gianluca Chakra noted that the societal exploration underpinning the murders is unique and also underlined that there has not yet been a TV project of this scale from the Arab world.