There’s been some movement on Amazon’s upcoming US adaptation of sci-fi series Utopia. According to Deadline, Sasha Lane (American Honey, The Miseducation Of Cameron Post) is set to lead the cast. Lane will be playing Jessica Hyde, the role played by Fiona O’Shaughnessy in the original series.
Utopia follows “a group of young adults who meet online that are mercilessly hunted by a shadowy deep state organisation after they come into possession of a near-mythical cult underground graphic novel. Within the comic’s pages, they discover the conspiracy theories that may actually be real and are forced into the dangerous, unique and ironic position of saving the world.”
For the US version of the show, the character of Jessica Hyde has been described as “tough and feral after a life on the run from a mysterious and dangerous group.” She “believes all the answers about her perplexing life story may be hidden in the graphic novel ‘Utopia’.”
The series was created and written by author and screenwriter Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl). Flynn is also set to serve as executive producer and showrunner.
In a statement, she said: “As I’ve been writing Utopia and trying to imagine the actor who could possibly embody Jessica Hyde, Sasha Lane has constantly kicked her way into my mind. She has the shape-shifting ability to feel at once raw, unpredictable and a little unnerving while also making you want to wrap your arms around her. I couldn’t be more thrilled to have her play this utterly unique character.”
The original series premiered on Channel 4 in 2013, and ran for two series. It was created by Dennis Kelly and produced by Endemol Shine Group’s production studio Kudos.
Utopia doesn’t yet have an air date. You can by the complete original series on DVD from Amazon for £8.49. Get all the latest sci-fi news with every issue of SciFiNow.