Fox limited series Deep State will star Mark Strong as a character immersed in an international conspiracy.
Mark Strong has fielded more than his share of slick, stylish and suspenseful roles across his Olivier Award-winning and BAFTA-nominated career. However, he will soon own the distinction of starring in the very first regional scripted commission from Fox Networks in Europe and Africa with an upcoming espionage-centric event series titled Deep State.
Deep State will be an eight-episode, hour-long drama. Mark Strong will star as ex-spy Max Easton, who, after the tragic death of his son, jumps back into the espionage game seeking vengeance. Max, internally conflicted with the hardened person he used to be, is thrust into a clandestine covert intelligence war across Britain, France, the U.S., Iran and Lebanon, battling an international conspiracy in which shadowy schemers are attempting to reap profits by manipulating Middle East chaos. He will be joined by an “uncompromising” partner in intelligence operative Leyla Toumi, played by Vikings actress Karima McAdams.
Strong appeared in films such as 2014’s The Imitation Game and 2011’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and took a stab at action-comedy in 2016’s The Brothers Grimsby. He’s tackled comic book movie roles in 2010’s Kick-Ass and his portrayal of would-be big bad Sinestro in 2011’s notorious Ryan Reynold-starring Green Lantern is widely seen as the lone highlight of the film. Auspiciously, Strong will also reprise his role from the 2014 dark horse hit Kingsman: The Secret Service in this fall’s sequel Kingsman: The Golden Circle. Moreover, he’s no stranger to television, having starred in AMC’s 2013 police drama Low Winter Sun. Strong lauds the Deep State script, stating:
"Every now and again a script comes along that you just can’t put down and Deep State is exactly that — a great example of the best kind of writing."
Deep State, written showrunner Mathew Parkhill (Rogue) along with Steve Thompson (Doctor Who, Sherlock) and Simon Maxwell (American Odyssey), will come to the table with a duo of directors spread across its eight-episode run. Episodes 1-4 will be directed by Robert Connolly (The Slap, Paper Planes), at which point writer/showrunner Parkhill himself assumes the director’s chair for Episodes 5-8. Fox Networks Group Europe & Africa senior vice-president Jeff Ford conveys the breadth of the project and its reach to over 50 countries, stating: "The sheer scale and ambition of this project is a testament of things to come, as we strive to produce quality, premium programming for a global audience."
Deep State is planned to commence production in May, leading to an eventual worldwide premiere slated for a Fox television network.