Another espionage thriller is coming to (Paramount+ with) Showtime, which previously aired Homeland. The Agency, starring Michael Fassbender, Jodie Turner-Smith, Jeffrey Wright, Richard Gere, and more just dropped its first action-packed trailer and first-look photos.
This new series was first ordered straight to series in February 2023 with the working title of The Department. It has since been renamed to The Agency. The political espionage thriller is commissioned by Showtime Studios and produced in association with 101 Studios. George Clooney and Grant Heslov will executive produce through Smokehouse Pictures.
Read on for everything we know about this new show, from the cast to what we know about a premiere date.
What is The Agency about?
The thriller follows Martin as the covert agent returns to London Station after being ordered to abandon his undercover life. When the love he left behind reappears, romance reignites. His career, his real identity, and his mission are pitted against his heart, hurling them both into a deadly game of international intrigue and espionage.
Is The Agency an adaptation?
Yes. It is described as “a fresh take” on the hit French drama Le Bureau des Légendes (which was known as The Bureau internationally). That show ran five seasons and 50 episodes, from 2015-2020. It followed an intelligence officer who returned to Paris after six years undercover in Damascus. He faced the challenge of reconnecting with his daughter, ex-wife, colleagues, and even his old self, and his return to “normal life” proved difficult, especially when he discovered that his love in Damascus was also in Paris.
It centered on the daily life and missions of agents within France’s principal external security service. It focused on the “Bureau of Legends,” responsible for training and handling deep-cover agents on long-term missions in areas with French interests. Living under false identities for years, these agents’ missions are to identify and recruit good intelligence sources.
Is there a trailer for The Agency?
Yes, the trailer (embedded above), shows Fassbender being interrogated about his time with the CIA and how it impacted him. He says that agents only survive by being “insane,” and now the powers that be fear that he’s become sane and will fight back. His character has a relationship with Turner-Smith’s, but he disappeared out of thin air because of their work and she never thought she’d see him again. The agents are overwhelmed by the tasks they’re forced to carry out, and one agent has gone missing. Gere’s character is determined to get them back.
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When does The Agency premiere?
The Agency will premiere with two episodes on Friday, November 29 on the Paramount+ With Showtime plan (aka Paramount+’s premium subscription) before its on-air debut on the Paramount+ With Showtime TV channel (formerly called Showtime).
Who’s in The Agency cast?
In June, Fassbender was the first one cast, as Martian, a covert CIA agent ordered to abandon his undercover life and return to London Station. He’s also an executive producer. “Michael Fassbender is one of the most gifted actors of our time,” said Chris McCarthy, Paramount Global Co-CEO and President/CEO, Showtime & MTV Entertainment Studios, in a statement at the time. “He brings a gravitas and nuanced complexity to every character he inhabits which is why we are so excited for him to star in The Agency.”
Two days after that, Wright was cast as Henry, the Director of Operations and Martian’s mentor. “Jeffrey Wright doesn’t just portray characters – he inhabits them completely, infusing each role with raw, emotional power and profound, psychological insight,” said McCarthy.
In July, Gere joined the cast as Bosko, the London Station Chief with a storied past after serving as an 8-year undercover agent. “Richard Gere is in a class of his own, adored by generations of fans worldwide for his exceptional ability to infuse depth and authenticity into every role he plays,” McCarthy said.
Soon after that, Turner-Smith was cast as Sami Zahir, a Professor of Social Anthropology who has a history with Martian. “Jodie Turner-Smith is a force who captivates audiences with her raw emotional power,” said Nina L. Diaz, President of Content and Chief Creative Officer, SHOWTIME/MTV Entertainment Studios & Paramount Media Networks.
Dominic West has joined as a guest star, playing the Director of the CIA Variety reports.
See the first photos from the series, below.
Nick Wall / Paramount+
Luke Varley / Paramount+
Luke Varley / Paramount+
Luke Varley / Paramount+
Luke Varley / Paramount+
Nadav Kander / Paramount+
The Agency, Series Premiere, Friday, November 29, Paramount+ With Showtime
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