Viola Davis is heading into the ruthless world of corporate crisis management for a new Paramount+ thriller, where billion-dollar disasters are all part of the working day.
Paramount+ has greenlit ‘Ascent‘, a character-driven thriller starring and executive produced by Viola Davis (Fences, The Woman King). The series is created by acclaimed writer John Logan (Skyfall, Gladiator, Penny Dreadful), who will also serve as showrunner and executive producer.
The drama is set in the dangerous world of global corporate crisis and damage control. Davis plays Catriona Vail, an elite corporate fixer who has made herself indispensable to her extremely wealthy clients.
However, when her estranged daughter is placed in danger, Catriona must turn the same ruthless skills she usually deploys on behalf of billion-dollar companies towards a much more personal crisis. This is one problem she cannot simply make disappear with a carefully worded statement and an enormous invoice.
Viola Davis said: “I am overwhelmingly excited about this journey with the great John Logan. We won the lottery with this one! Work in which both story and character are bold, awe inspiring and deeply unique is why I became an artist. We at JuVee are deeply grateful to John Logan, Michael Aquilar, and Paramount. We are ready to create magic!”
Logan executive produces alongside Michael Aguilar (Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, Kidding, The Departed), with Davis and Julius Tennon also executive producing through JuVee Productions.
“Viola Davis doesn’t just take on roles; she transforms them. Catriona Vail is an incredibly complex character and Viola is exactly the generational talent to bring her to life,” said Jane Wiseman, Head of Originals for Paramount+. “With John Logan and Michael Aguilar behind the camera, Ascent is high-stakes television at its best.”
Produced by Paramount Television Studios, ‘Ascent’ is scheduled to begin production in Los Angeles in 2027, including filming at the Paramount Lot.
“We are honored to support the vision of our exceptional creative partners: John Logan, Michael Aguilar, and Viola Davis,” said Matt Thunell, President Paramount Television Studios. “We celebrate bold, original ideas, and the icing on the cake is being able to shoot Ascent here at home on the Paramount Lot in Los Angeles.”
The series joins Paramount+’s growing slate of upcoming originals, which also includes the ‘Clueless‘ sequel event series starring Alicia Silverstone (Clueless), ‘Laird’ starring Kenneth Branagh (Belfast), ‘9/12‘ starring Jeremy Strong (Succession), ‘Fear Not’ starring Anne Hathaway (The Idea of You), and ‘Discretion’ starring Nicole Kidman (Big Little Lies) and Elle Fanning (The Great).
‘Ascent‘ will premiere globally exclusively on Paramount+, although no premiere date has been announced.
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