After concluding his acclaimed seven-season run as Dr. Shaun Murphy in ABC’s medical drama, The Good Doctor, Freddie Highmore has found another compelling role to disappear into. He is set to star alongside Keeley Hawes, known for her roles in hit shows like Bodyguard and Orphan Black: Echoes, in a pulse-pounding international espionage thriller for Prime Video, titled The Assassin.
The Assassin follows the story of a former assassin named Julie, played by Hawes, who is living on a remote Greek island when she is visited by her estranged son, Edward, played by Highmore. Grappling with his identity, he is forced to team up with his mother when an assassin from Julie’s past reemerges and threatens to destroy their relationship altogether. The official plotline for the six-episode series reads:
“Secluded on a remote Greek island, retired assassin Julie (Hawes) has a somewhat thorny reunion with her estranged son, Edward (Highmore), visiting from England. Armed with questions around new information on his paternity, Edward battles to find the right time to speak to his frustratingly distant mother. But when the moment finally presents itself, things take a deadly turn as Julie’s dangerous past catches up with her and they are forced to flee the island and go on the run together.”
The Team Behind The Upcoming Prime Video Series
The series is penned by Harry and Jack Williams, who have previously worked on British TV shows like Hotel Babylon, Wild at Heart, and Call the Midwife. They even developed and produced the highly acclaimed and fan-favorite Phoebe Waller-Bridge series, Fleabag. Their production outfit Two Brothers Pictures will oversee the production of The Assassin in association with ZDF who is the German co-production partner, All3Media International and Stan in Australia. Hawes and Highmore will also take on executive roles behind the scenes.
The supporting cast for The Assassinfeatures a talented ensemble, including Gina Gershon, known for her roles in Riverdale and New Amsterdam, Shalom Brune-Franklin, who recently starred in Netflix’s Baby Reindeer, Jack Davenport, known for The Morning Show, and Pirates of the Caribbean, and Alan Dale, who has garnered acclaim for many roles from Dynasty and Lost to 24. Gerald Kyd (The Swarm), Devon Terrell (Totally Completely Fine), Richard Dormer (Game of Thrones) and David Dencik (The Ipcress File) will also star.
Additionally, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Hannah Blyth, head of TV for Prime Video U.K., has expressed her confidence in the project by stating just how excited she has been from day one, when “Harry and Jack shared their vision for The Assassin ,” knowing full well that the script will “resonate perfectly with [their] audience.” She added:
“The Assassin promises to deliver a high-stakes thriller with a dynamic mother-son relationship at its core, packed with twists and turns that will keep our audience hooked from start to finish. We can’t wait for our customers to immerse themselves in this gripping new series.”
The Assassin
has recently started filming in Greece and is set to initially stream in the United Kingdom and Ireland.