The Saint (franchise)

The Saint franchise consists of European and American action-mystery thrillers, including film, radio, and television mediums. Based on the writings of Leslie Charteris, the plot centers around the titular vigilante investigator who operates outside the bounds of the law, under various disguises and aliases; commonly known as the moniker "the Saint".

The franchise has received noted success through decades of media, and has a reboot film in development.

Origin
A series of novels, short stories, and novellas authored by Anglo-Chinese writer Leslie Charteris between 1928 and 1997; centered around the character Simon Templar / The Saint. The character is a heroic charming investigator operating as a contemporary Robin Hood-like vigilante with various aliases and disguises who is characterized by his devil-may-care attitude, while evading law enforcement. Though the initial novel was released in 1928, the origins of the character are evident in early works of the author, some of which predated the first Saint novel. An early Charteris book titled, Daredevil not only featured a heroic lead who shared similar traits including driving the same make of vehicle, but also featured Inspector Claud Eustace Teal; a recurring character in various Saint books.

The "Saint" in New York (1938)
When a series of consecutive lawless acts take place in New York, the commissioner of police hires a British investigator who fights criminal corruption through unorthodox methods named Simon Templar. Known to the law enforcement as "the Saint", Templar quickly begins dismantling criminal organizations throughout the city. When he discovers that there may be a mastermind hiding in plain sight, he begins to turn the offenders against each other, while he draws closer to resolving the corruption.

The Saint Strikes Back (1939)
Simon Templar is hired to investigate a purported suicide of a seemingly disgraced police inspector in San Francisco, when the man's daughter calls into question the nature of his death. With her suspicions that a criminal organization is involved Templar discovers that prior to the man's untimely passing, he had also been framed for corruption which lead to his dismissal from the police force. Determined to exonerate the man of the lawful misdeeds that he did not commit, "the Saint" races against time to solve the mystery and bring justice to those who are guilty.

The Saint in London (1939)
Simon Templar returns home to London, where he becomes involved in an investigation in a local gambler who may be guilty of being a part of a counterfeiting criminal organization. Throughout the investigation, he hires a former-thief and a socialite to assist him with the case. Templar begins to question the nature of the situation suspecting that an inspector who is also working on the investigation may be involved, "the Saint" works overtime to resolve the mystery before its too late.

The Saint's Double Trouble (1940)
Simon Templar finds himself the suspect when a shipment of mummies that were sent to his friend, an archeological professor is found with some stolen diamonds. Believed to have become a jewel smuggler, he races against time to find the perpetrator who framed him for the crime. When he begins to investigate the series of events that preceded the disappearance of the valued items, its discovered that his double Duke Bates is the mastermind. "The Saint" sets out to prove his own existence, apprehend the criminals involved, and reinstate his credibility.

The Saint Takes Over (1940)
Simon Templar takes a transatlantic trip to New York so that he can assist his old friend Inspector Fernack, who has been suspended due to suspected involvement in bribery. During the investigation, Templar confronts a series of gamblers who have organized fixed horse racing. As he attempts to prove his friend's innocence "the Saint" becomes familiar with a beautiful woman, who maybe have a deception of her own.

The Saint in Palm Springs (1941)
Simon Templar becomes involved in the criminal underworld, in order to locate extremely rare and valuable stamps that have gone missing. During the investigation, "the Saint" is pursued by various criminals who are desperate and will do anything including murder to acquire the valuables for themselves. Templar turns to an old ally, and together they resolve to complete their assignment in returning the collectibles to their rightful owner.

The Saint's Vacation (1941)
Initially enjoying a trip of his own outside of work, Simon Templar becomes involved in an impromptu investigation when a seemingly music box becomes a heavily coveted item. As he seeks to retrieve the collectible and return it to the rightful owner, he discovers that the antique instigates a series of robberies, torture, and murder. Racing against the pursuits of the unlawful competitors, "the Saint" turns to the aid of his allies and discovers that it may bring him face to face with one of his most notorious arch enemies.

The Saint Meets the Tiger (1943)
Following an unexpected visit from an ailing man who notifies Simon Templar about a criminal organization that smuggles gold, Templar begins to investigate and finds the case takes him to an English coastal community. Upon arrival, "the Saint" collaborates with Scotland Yard and the owner of a gold mine named Patricia Holm. As Templar begins to have romantic interests in Holm, she helps him to divert his attention to a criminal known as "the Tiger" where he begins to find sufficient evidence to convict the corruption within their establishment.

The Saint's Return (1953)
Released in the United States in 1954 as The Saint's Girl Friday

When Simon Templar's friend ends up dead, following her petition for his help, he begins an immediate investigation suspecting foul-play. Together with the assistance of a woman named Carol Denby, Templar infiltrates the ranks of a local criminal organization known as the River Mob. With the gang being involved in the community's gambling business, Templar finds himself working against an established and powerful group with intentions of finding the real nature of his friend's murder.

The Saint (1997)
A thief who uses various disguises under aliases of various Catholic Saints, and the aid of advanced technology in his heists, is hired for a contract by a powerful Russian oil company magnate named Ivan Tretiak. Tasked with stealing the chemical formulas for cold fusion, Templar accepts the job convinced that he can accomplish the mission. After seducing scientist Dr. Emma Russell, he delivers the formulas to Tretiak and expects to move on to the next monetary opportunity. He quickly discovers however, that the formulas were incomplete when a number of criminal alliances begin to pursue him. Learning that Russell is also in danger, Templar races to her rescue while avoiding their lethal advances. Determined to save her life, he resolves to also end their corruption; all while evading the continued pursuits of detectives who have been following him for years.

Reboot
In February 2020, it was announced that a reboot of the franchise was in development with Chris Pine starring as Simon Templar / the Saint. Dexter Fletcher initially signed onto the project as director, with a script by Seth Grahame-Smith. Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Brad Krevoy will serve as producers, with Robert Evans credited as a producer posthumously. The project will be a joint-venture production between Paramount Pictures and Di Bonaventura Pictures. The studio intends the new adaptation to be the first installment in a series of films. By November July 2021 however, Regé-Jean Page was cast in the titular role replacing Pine, while Kwame Kwei-Armah was hired to contribute to the screenplay. In November 2023, Doug Liman had been hired to replace Fletcher as director.

Radio
Adapted for radio production by Leslie Charteris, the dramatization show was based on his series of novels of the same name. The broadcast featured various actors in the titular role through a number of iterations from January 4, 1945 – October 14, 1951. Starring Edgar Barrier, Brian Aherne, Vincent Price, Tom Conway, and Barry Sullivan in the titular role at different times; the supporting cast included John Brown, Ken Christy, and Louise Arthur as Inspector Fernack, Hoppy, and Patricia Holm, respectively. The Saint was sponsored through funding by Bromo-Seltzer, Campbell Soup Company, Lever Brothers, and Ford Motor Company; and debuted on National Broadcasting Network (NBC), followed by Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), CBS WEst Coast Network, and then Mutual Broadcasting System (MBS), before returning to NBC. The show was met with positive critical reception, and was notable for its continued inclusion of Charteris throughout its syndicated broadcast, with the associated companies stating: "All scripting will be under the supervision of Charteris, who will oversee the adaptations of his published works. If any originals are to be done, he'll do them."

The Saint (1962–1969)
Created by Leslie Charteris and based on his novel series of the same name, the television adaptation was developed in collaboration with National Broadcasting Company (NBC), Tempean Films for ATV, Bamore for ATV, ITC Entertainment, and Independent Television. Starring Roger Moore in the titular role, the series aired from October 4, 1962, through February 9, 1969. Well received by critics and the audience alike, the show continued success through reruns and debuts in over 60 countries; earning over £350,000,000 for ITC.

Simon Templar, a wealthy adventurer and vigilante private investigator know under the alias of "the Saint", travels the world righting wrongs, solving mysteries, and convicting criminals. Though he is often the individual at the center of solving the investigations, because he lives outside the law he is also being pursued by various law enforcement agencies. Given his street-wise experience, and his wits keep him one step ahead of their machinations to apprehend him for questioning.

Return of the Saint (1978–1979)
Developed as a follow-up revival to the original show, the series was once again based on his book series of the same name, and created by Leslie Charteris; this time with collaboration from producers Bob Baker and Lew Grade. Initially developed as a sequel centered around the son of Simon Templar, this premise was abandoned in favor of a continuation around the same character. The show was a joint-production between ITC Entertainment, Associated Television, and Rai Television and aired through Independent Television. Ian Ogilvy starred as the titular character, replacing Moore from the previous series. Though the show was poorly received by critics, its viewership numbers were a success. When series was rebroadcast on Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) it was successful with its viewership numbers and became one of the highest profiting shows for the associated studios. The shows cancelation at the request of Grade, has since been questioned given its popularity with its audience.

The plot followed a similar premise to other installments in the franchise. Simon Templar, a wealthy vigilante investigator known to others by his alias as "the Saint", takes unsolved mysteries and defeats corruption while living outside the law. Throughout the series he travels through Europe assisting citizens with their needs, while he encounters past friends and acquaintances that also need his assistance. Oftentimes foiling the plans of various criminals, he keeps some of their monetary means for himself, while avoiding pursuits of various law enforcement agencies.

The Saint and the Brave Goose (1978)
Simon Templar takes part in a speedboat racing event, where one of his competitors named Oscar West seemingly meets his demise when his vehicle experiences mechanical failure and then explodes. When his widow Annabel discovers that her husband lived an extravagant lifestyle and she is left nothing more than a boat named "the Brave Goose". When a group of men kidnaps her, claiming that they worked alongside Oscar in a burglary where he double-crossed them, the escaped convicts question her for the location of the gold that they had collectively stolen. Learning of these transpiring events, "the Saint" comes to her rescue while also determined to help her locate the gold and to solve the mystery surrounding her husband following a new revelation that the group had one other ally.

The Saint in Manhattan (1987)
Returning to New York City following a previous investigation, Simon Templar is planning on resting and rejuvenating for some time. His plans quickly change, when one of his previous romantic interests, a professional ballerina named Margot Katka reenters his life. After attending one of her performances, she pleads for his assistance as her life is in danger. Determined to protect her, "the Saint" races against time to solve the mystery.

The Saint: The Brazilian Connection (1989)
Following his involvement in ending the criminal workings of some thieves, Simon Templar finds himself in possession of various riches. After meeting a nanny named Jenny, who was tasked with the care of an American couple's baby, he learns that the baby has gone missing. Desperate for his assistance, "the Saint" determines that the disappearance is in relation to a baby-trafficking organization. Taking the investigation to Brazil, Templar must work quickly to bring the child safely home.

The Saint: The Blue Dulac (1989)
When the home Jacques and Christine Coustard is obliterated in an explosion, Simon Templar is determined to solve their homicide. The couple were intended to serve as witnesses in a trial against a criminal gangster named George Lafosse, and the latter is acquitted after his mob holds the judge's family hostage. Under the alias and disguise of a jewel thief, Templar infiltrates the Lafosse organization with intentions to avenge the murder of his friends.

The Saint: Fear in Fun Park (1990)
Simon Templar arrives in Sydney, tasked with investigating the disappearance of one of his friend's daughters. Believed to have been abducted by a Chinese crime ring for human trafficking, Templar soon discovers other similar occurrences in the area. During the investigation, a former romantic interest named Felicity approaches him for his assistance as a variety of Oriental establishments have been threatening her and her parents with intentions to coerce them into selling their fairground amusement location named Fun Park. Determined to help each of his friends and to solve the disappearances of young women in the area, "the Saint" beings to realize connections between the two cases.

The Saint: Wrong Number (1990)
While initially enjoying a vacation in Berlin, Simon Templar receives a call in his hotel room which was intended for another guest at the establishment with instructions for the receiving end to meet at a specified location for a rendezvous. After they are found to have been murdered in their room, "the Saint" resolves to arrive at the location under the guise of the man who was killed with intentions to investigate the mystery. Avoiding pursuits of similarly intended demise, Templar reaches the location and is approached with recruitment proposition by an anti-terrorist organization which is trying to stop a missile assault by a terrorist named Peter Lang. Determined to save the innocent lives at risk, he works in collaboration with the group to prevent the catastrophic events.

The Saint: The Big Bang (1990)
Following the death of a millionairess named Baronne being ruled out as suicide, Simon Templar begins his own investigation. Not convinced of the verdict, Templar believes that a more sinister cause of death is to blame. As she was the owner of Grainville Electronics, his research leads him to believe that someone within the corporation organized a homicide with intentions to illegal take-over of the company. With the aid of an American news reporter named Verity, "the Saint" works to determine the true nature of Baronne's death, before her company is assigned new leadership who may be her murderer.

The Saint: The Software Murders (1990)
Following the suspicious deaths of three scientists who were developing explosive detection devices, Templar's friend and colleague named Jack Rushden is tasked with investigating their demise. When he is murdered while on the phone with Simon Templar followed by the killer threatening to come after him next, "the Saint" determines to avenge his friend and find the killer himself. When his research brings him to a science conference at a rural manor, he works with a computer expert named Irina to solve what has become known publicly as the Software Murders.

The Saint (2017)
After diverting an exchange between terrorist groups, and escaping with their funds, Simon Templar / the Saint finds himself in the middle of an ongoing pursuit including the parties involved and the FBI. Giving the money to a friend in Bucharest with instructions to distribute the funds to various humanitarian organizations, only for the funds to be intercepted by a banker with a criminal past named Arnie Valecross who was hired by a mysterious man under the alias of "the Fixer". Despite his initial instructions, Valecross sends the money to a different account and seeks assistance from the FBI, with hopes of clearing his name. Following his decision, his daughter Zooey is abducted by the organization that had contracted him for the job; they request the money be returned within 48 hours, using his daughter as a hostage. Being made aware of how the situation has evolved, Templar works with his associate Patricia Holm to discover the true identity of the mysterious man. Racing against the clock, "the Saint" must retrieve the money and save Zooey's life, while staying ahead of the FBI who have been following him for years. During the investigation, he discovers that "the Fixer" may have connections to a dangerous person from his past.