David Tennant To Star As Phileas Fogg In New ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ TV Adaptation
David Tennant has been the doctor, a demon, a creepy mind-controlling baddie in recent years, but now he is set to play one of literature’s greatest explorers, Phileas Fogg, in a new TV adaptation of Jules Verne’s classic, ‘Around the World in 80 Days‘, it was revealed today. The world-renowned and multi-award-winning actor whose credits include ‘Broadchurch’, ‘Jessica Jones’, ‘Doctor Who’ and ‘Good Omens’, will lead the cast and travel the world as the intrepid explorer who takes on the adventure of a lifetime, in the Slim Film + Television and Federation’s new 8-part adaptation.
Following an outrageous bet, Fogg and his valet, Passepartout, take on the legendary journey of circumnavigating the globe in just 80 days, swiftly joined by aspiring journalist Abigail Fix, who seizes the chance to report on this extraordinary story.
Joining Tennant to complete the valiant trio are rising French star, Ibrahim Koma (‘Je Suis Daddy’, ‘Mother is Wrong’), who takes on the role of the mercurial Passepartout; an irrepressible chancer who falls into the role of Fogg’s ‘valet’, little knowing it will change his life forever; and Leonie Benesch (‘The Crown’, ‘White Ribbon’) playing Abigail Fix, the young journalist determined to make her mark in a man’s world and emerge from the long shadow of her British establishment father.
The series is written by Ashley Pharoah (‘Life on Mars’, ‘Ashes to Ashes’, ‘The Living and the Dead’) and Caleb Ranson (‘Child of Mine’, ‘Heartless’). Film, television and music video director Steve Barron (‘The Durrells’, ‘Treasure Island’, ‘Dreamkeeper’) will be lead director with Charles Beeson (‘The Mentalist’, ‘Supernatural’) also lined up to direct a number of episodes. Executive producers are Simon Crawford Collins for Slim Film + Television and Lionel Uzan and Pascal Breton for Federation.
“We are thrilled to have such a talent as David to play this modern take on the iconic role of Phileas Fogg,” commented exec producer Crawford Collins. “Bigger than the hair-raising physical challenges of the adventure – from the scorching heat of the desert to skulduggery in Hong Kong and of course strikes in Paris – will be Fogg’s personal journey. I’m excited that viewers will also have the pleasure of watching the extraordinary talents of Leonie and Ibrahim in the roles of Fix and Passepartout, as they travel around the world. The series is full of adrenaline, heart and of course lots of fun, thanks to Ashley and our talented writing team. Viewers are in for something really special!”
‘Around the World in Eighty Days’ is a Slim Film + Television and Federation co-production with additional co-production partners, Palladium Pictures in South Africa, and Daro Film, associate producer. The series will be broadcast on France Télévisions, Germany’s ZDF and Italy’s RAI, with Seven West Media broadcasting the drama in Australia, and the BBC in the UK.
‘Around the World in 80 Days‘ begins filming starting in February 2020 for broadcast in late 2020.
