ITV has announced the cast for writer Charlie Higson’s superhero-themed adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Jekyl & Hyde”: Tom Bateman (“Da Vinci’s Demons,” “The Tunnel”), Richard E. Grant (“Downton Abbey,” Withnail & I) and Natalie Gumede (“Coronation Street,” “Death In Paradise”).
Further cast for the action-oriented series includes Stephanie Hyam (“Murdered By My Boyfriend”), Donald Sumpter (“Game of Thrones,” “Being Human”), Amit Shah (“The Smoke,” “Hustle”), Phil McKee (“Ripper Street,” “Dracula”), Christian McKay (Rush, Theory of Everything), Ruby Bentall (“Lark Rise to Candleford,” “The Paradise”), Enzo Cilenti (“Game of Thrones”), Lolita Chakrabarti (“The Smoke,” “Death in Paradise”), Michael Karim (“Inspector Lewis”) and Ace Bhatti (“Silk,” “Eastenders”).
Here’s the synopsis: Higson’s Jekyll is a young, sensitive and naïve man of intellect and morality, a well meaning if slightly repressed character who slips between his two personas unwillingly. Hyde is a totally different person; a superhero with super powers, great strength, speed and invulnerability. He is confident, risk-taking and lives life on the edge. His self-destructive nature gets him into trouble, and yet he is an incredibly powerful force. He is a man of action who gets things done despite the consequences! Throughout the series we will witness Jekyll wrestling with the dark, brooding personality of Hyde as he struggles to come to terms with his superhero alter ego.
Higson will write and executive produce “Jekyl & Hyde,” with ITV Studios Director of Drama Francis Hopkinson (“Lucan,” “Wallander”) also executive producing with Foz Allan (“Wolfblood,” “Robin Hood”) as series producer. All ten episodes will be directed by Colin Teague (“Being Human,” “Sinbad”) with production in Sri Lanka commencing later this month and filming in London from February until July 2015.
