Deadline is reporting that Amazon’s YA series Panic has cast its lead roles. Olivia Welch, Mike Faist and Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut have been cast in the pilot based on Lauren Oliver’s book of the same name.
Based on Lauren Oliver’s New York Times best-selling novel, Panic brings viewers to a forgotten rural town where every year the graduating seniors risk their lives in an illegal, high-stakes game to win life-changing money — and a chance to escape. Anonymous judges force the players through a series of challenges that will compel them to confront their deepest fears and upend their ideas of who they are, who to trust and who they might become. This year, 47 players will compete for the biggest pot ever. All of them will be changed. Only one will win.
Welch will be portraying Heather, a writer that is uncomfortable with herself. After her life savings is stolen by her mother, Heather decides to join deadly game. Faist will play the ‘new kid’ in town that also joins the game to everyone’s surprise. Finally Chestnut has been cast as Natalie, a witty person who just wants to spend time with her friends.
Panic is written and created by Oliver, executive produced by Joe Roth and Jeff Kirschenbaum of Roth Kirschenbaum Films (Maleficent 2) with Alyssa Altman serving as co-executive producer. Oliver will also be executive producing and Lynley Bird co-executive producing both for Glasstown Entertainment, and Elle Triedman (Siren, Revenge) also executive producing.
