Bill Nighy has signed on to star as Thomas Newton, the character previously played on screen by David Bowie, in the Showtime series version of “The Man Who Fell to Earth”.
Based on the Walter Tevis novel, the series will follow a new alien character named Faraday (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who arrives on Earth at a turning point in human evolution and must confront his own past to determine our future.
Nighy’s Newton is the main character of the novel and film. In this take, Newton was the first alien to arrive on earth over forty years ago. Alone and desperate, Newton summons Faraday to complete his original mission.
But Newton’s time marooned among human beings has cost him everything, possibly even his sanity. Naomie Harris, Jimmi Simpson, Rob Delaney, Sonya Cassidy, Joana Ribeiro, Annelle Olaleye, Kate Mulgrew and Clarke Peters co-star in the series.
Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet are executive producing the series which is expected to debut on the premium cabler later this year.
Source: Variety
