It’s almost a daily occurrence that we see the news that Netflix, Amazon, Apple TV+, Hulu, or Disney+ land some major A-listers for a prestige streaming series. But now we have Paramount+ working its magic, landing Chiwetel Ejiofor to lead the cast of an upcoming series set to remake a classic David Bowie film.
According to Deadline, Chiwetel Ejiofor is set to star in the lead role in Paramount+’s upcoming series remake of “The Man Who Fell to Earth.” The series is based on the Walter Tevis novel and the cult classic David Bowie film from director Nicolas Roeg. “The Man Who Fell to Earth,” tells the story of an alien that comes to Earth at a turning point in human civilization.
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The new series was previously announced as in development in August 2019 with Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet on board as co-writers and co-showrunners. Kurtzman alone will handle the directing duties.
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“Chiwetel Ejiofor’s stage and film career are staggering in their bravery, commitment, and quality,” said Kurtzman and Lumet. “He’s everything we could imagine and a million things we can’t. We couldn’t be more thrilled.”
Ejiofor is probably best known for his Oscar-nominated performance in the acclaimed film, “12 Years a Slave.” He’s also appeared in films such as “Doctor Strange” (and the subsequent sequel), “The Martian,” and Disney’s remake of “The Lion King.” Last year, he appeared in the Netflix action film, “The Old Guard,” and then just last month, he starred in the pandemic-inspired film, “Locked Down” on HBO Max. His next film is coming later this year (maybe), titled “Infinite,” from director Antoine Fuqua.
It’s unclear when “The Man Who Fell to Earth” will arrive on Paramount+. And for those wondering, Paramount+ is the new name for CBS All Access and will officially launch in early March.