According to Deadline, Oscar-winning actor Tim Robbins (The Shawshank Redemption, Mystic River) has officially signed on for the role of Daniel Dandon in Amazon Prime Video‘s forthcoming series adaptation of The Power, based on award-winning author Naomi Alderman’s 2016 thriller sci-fi drama novel of the same name. Robbins will be replacing The Office alum Rainn Wilson, who dropped out of the project due to scheduling conflicts that were caused by the ongoing pandemic.
Robbins’ Daniel Dandon is being described as a self-righteous and self-important Republican governor of Washington state and a constant thorn in the side of the Democratic mayor of Seattle, Margot Cleary-Lopez, who is being portrayed by Leslie Mann.
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Created by Alderman, The Power series is a 10-episode feminist thriller that will be told in a subversive and multi-stranded narrative. It tells the story of when all teenage girls in the world suddenly gain the power to electrocute people at will. They soon discover that their newfound ability is something that is hereditary, inbuilt, and impossible to take away.
The book’s official synopsis reads: “The world is a recognizable place: there’s a rich Nigerian boy who lounges around the family pool; a foster kid whose religious parents hide their true nature; an ambitious American politician; a tough London girl from a tricky family. But then a vital new force takes root and flourishes, causing their lives to converge with devastating effect. Teenage girls now have immense physical power–they can cause agonizing pain and even death. And, with this small twist of nature, the world drastically resets.”
Pick up a copy of the book here!
Leslie Mann (The Other Woman, Blockers) will be portraying the role of Mayor of Seattle Margot Cleary-Lopez, who is known to the public as a loving wife and doting mother to three kids. Vital, charming, and incredibly smart, Margot comes to see that power resides with strength rather than authority. As her career takes flight, it’s her husband Rob and daughter Jos who privately feel the effects of her success most keenly; for one of them, where previously there was conflict, now comes a greater understanding, and for the other where there was love, comes hurt and betrayal.
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Alderman will be leading the series’ all-female writers’ room and will also be co-writing the screenplay. It will be executive produced and co-written by Alderman, Claire Wilson, Whit Anderson (Ozark), Stacy Osei-Kuffour (Watchmen, PEN15), and Rebecca Levene along with story consultant Sarah Quintrell (Ellen).
The Power is a production by Jane Featherstone’s Sister Pictures (Chernobyl). The Handmaid’s Tale‘s Reed Morano and Naomi de Pear will also be serving as executive producers with Morano set as the director. The series will also be produced by Tim Bricknell.
(Photo by Morgan Lieberman/Getty Images)
