Ewan McGregor To Star In ‘A Gentleman In Moscow’ Adaptation For Paramount+/Showtime (credit: Jeff Vespa)
Fresh from the dunes of Tatooine, Ewan McGregor is set to star in an adaptation of Amor Towles’ best-selling novel ‘A Gentleman In Moscow‘ for Paramount+ and Showtime it has been announced.
The Emmy Award-winning actor (and Jedi) will lead the cast in the upcoming UK drama series as Count Alexander Rostov who, in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, finds that his gilded past places him on the wrong side of history. Spared immediate execution, he is banished by a Soviet tribunal to an attic room in the opulent Hotel Metropol, threatened with death if he ever sets foot outside again.
As the years pass and some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history unfold outside the hotel’s doors, Rostov’s reduced circumstances provide him entry into a much larger world of emotional discovery. As he builds a new life within the walls of the hotel, he discovers the true value of friendship, family and love.
“It’s an amazing, wonderful story and I am very excited to get to play such a fabulous role,” said McGregor, who is also executive producer on the series.
The drama is produced by eOne in association with VIS, the international studio division of Paramount Global. The series is written by showrunner and executive producer Ben Vanstone (‘All Creatures Great and Small’, ‘The Last Kingdom’). Tom Harper (‘War and Peace’, ‘Peaky Blinders’) will also executive produce with Xavier Marchand (‘Nautilus’, ‘Mrs Harris Goes to Paris’) and the novel’s writer, New York Times best-selling author Amor Towles. It is the first production to come through eOne’s first look deal with Harper’s company Popcorn Storm Pictures.
“The book is a rare and delicious treat and I fell in love with it the moment I picked it up 6 years ago,” said Harper. “We are thrilled that Amor entrusted this brilliant team with bringing the Metropol to life and couldn’t be more delighted that Ewan will be playing the Count.”
Since its release, the novel has sold over 4 million copies worldwide, and counts Barack Obama, Tom Hanks and Ann Patchett among its high-profile fans.
‘A Gentleman In Moscow‘ will premiere in 2023 on Paramount+ UK and all international markets where the service is available. The series will air on Showtime in the USA.
