With his laconic manner, heavy coat and trademark pipe, the character appeared in 75 novels and has previously been played on British TV by Rupert Davies and Michael Gambon.
Made for ITV by Ealing Studios and Maigret Productions Ltd, the dramas are being shot in Budapest which will double for 1950’s Paris.
The first film, Maigret Sets A Trap, is adapted from the Simenon novel “Maigret tend un piège.” and the second film “Maigret’s Dead Man” is based on “Maigret et son mort.”
Atkinson will be joined by Fiona Shaw, Aiden McCardle, Shaun Dingwall, Lucy Cohu, Leo Starr, Rufus Wright, Hugh Simon, David Dawson, Colin Mace and Rebecca Night.