Mark Strong To Star In ‘Deep State’, Fox’s First ‘Regional Scripted Commission’
FOX Networks Group Europe and Africa has today announced that the brilliant Mark Strong (Kingsman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Kick-Ass, Zero Dark Thirty) has joined Deep State, the company’s first ‘regional scripted commission’, meaning the show will be developed and produced at a regional level.
Written by Matthew Parkhill (Rogue), Simon Maxwell (American Odyssey) and Steve Thompson (Sherlock, Dr Who), Deep State is described as an “intense, character-driven espionage thriller” and it will air in over 50 countries on FOX. Set in Britain, The U.S., Iran, Lebanon and France, the drama will show the merciless reality of the world of espionage, in which an increasingly rare conscience can get you, and the ones you love, killed.
Strong plays Max Easton, a man caught between two versions of himself, the past and the present. An ex-spy, Max is brought back into the game to avenge the death of his son, only to find himself at the heart of a covert intelligence war and a conspiracy to profit from the spread of chaos throughout the Middle East.
“Every now and again a script comes along that you just can’t put down and Deep State is exactly that – a great example of the best kind of writing,” commented Strong. “I’m incredibly proud to be working with FNG on their first regional scripted commission. They have put together an excellent team, and I’m very much looking forward to collaborating with Robert Connolly, Matthew Parkhill, Hilary Bevan Jones. With scripts from Matthew, Simon Maxwell and Steve Thompson, producers Tom Nash and Khadija Alami and with David Higgs as DoP and Pat Campbell designing, it makes this for me an unmissable opportunity to return to television. The character I’m playing is completely morally conflicted – the type of role I find myself drawn to. He has to marry a secretive and extremely dangerous work life, with that of a loving father and a loyal husband, and it makes for a fascinating character study. The fast moving narrative coupled with the twists of the plot, and the complexity of the makeup of the characters make it the kind of series I’d love to watch, as well as be a part of.”
Alongside Strong, Karima McAdams (Fearless, Vikings) has joined to play the part of Leyla Toumi, a smart and uncompromising elite intelligence operative.
“Deep State is a grounded, visceral thriller,” comments writer and showrunner Matthew Parkhill. “It moves between the deeply personal story of a family man fighting to escape his past and the violent, dark excesses of government and global corporate power.” Parkhill will so direct the last 4 of the 8 episodes, with Robert Connolly (The Slap, Paper Planes, Balibo) directing the first 4.
The rest of the team behind the camera is also pretty impressive. Wolf Hall’s Pat Campbell joins as Production Designer, and BAFTA Award winning David Higgs, BSC (Churchill, Outlander) will be Director of Photography.
Deep State will begin shooting in May 2017.
