Starz is set to deliver a new supernatural spy thriller with ‘The Rook’ based on the 2012 novel by Daniel O’Malley. The series was developed by Stephanie Meyer who was due to serve as showrunner but left early into the development process. Liza Zwerling (‘FlashForward’) and Karyn Usher (‘Prison Break’) replaced her. Stephen Garrett serves as executive producer.
Emma Greenwell, Olivia Munn, and Joely Richardson headline the cast.
‘The Rook’ tells the story of Myfanwy Thomas (Greenwell), a woman who wakes up in the rain beside London’s Millennium Bridge with no memory of who she is and no explanation for the circle of latex-gloved dead bodies splayed around her. Soon, she discovers she’s a high-ranking member in [Checquy] Britain’s secret service for people with paranormal abilities.
In case you were wondering, Myfanwy rhymes with Tiffany. Munn’s character, Monica Reed, is a US agent who works with the British secret service — “typically, at a safe distance with little insider knowledge.” She is also hinted to possess certain… gifts. Richardson portrays Checquy leader Linda Farrier. The series also stars Adrian Lester, Ronan Raftery, Catherine Steadman, and Jon Fletcher.
Garrett explained the series, saying:
“I think what drew us all to this is that it’s a spy show with supernatural elements. And the great thing about spy shows and why I think the British are good at them — you know, we obviously have done Bond, we’ve done le Carré — we’re naturally duplicitous; we’re very good at lying, and we love secrets. So if you’re a spy, you can’t tell your friends or your loved ones what it is you do. And I think if you have supernatural powers, you can’t tell your friends or your loved ones what it is you have. So, you have secrets to the power of ten. And that’s just a very heady mix for great drama and a very unusual combination.”
Check out this teaser trailer courtesy of Starz (via IGN):
Now, here are four photos from the series (courtesy of TV Line):
Starz has not yet announced a release date for ‘The Rook’, but it is expected to debut sometime this summer.
