Culture 3 min read By Lauren Baxter
Sam Heughan to Star Opposite Viola Davis in Paramount+ Thriller 'Ascent'
Sam Heughan, best known for Outlander, will lead Paramount+'s upcoming thriller Ascent alongside Viola Davis, playing a top agent at a corporate crisis firm. The series, created by John Logan, shoots in Los Angeles next year.
Sam Heughan is set to star opposite Viola Davis in Ascent, a Paramount+ thriller series created by John Logan and produced by Paramount Television Studios. The Scottish actor, who has led Starz's historical fantasy Outlander as both star and producer, will take on his next major television role in the project, which is scheduled to shoot in Los Angeles next year.
Ascent is set in the world of global corporate crisis and damage control. Heughan will play Conal, described as one of Ascent Ventures' top agents — a lethally charming and natural chameleon. Davis, an EGOT winner, will star in the series and also serves as an executive producer. The pairing places Heughan, a fixture of premium cable fantasy drama, alongside one of the most decorated actors in American film and television.
The series comes from John Logan, the writer behind a long list of stage and screen projects, and is produced by Paramount Television Studios for the Paramount+ streaming service. Details about the plot beyond its corporate crisis setting and Heughan's character have not been disclosed. The show is slated to begin production in Los Angeles next year, putting it on a timeline that would likely place its debut sometime after that shoot.
For Heughan, the role marks a departure from the historical and fantasy terrain of Outlander, where he has played Jamie Fraser across the show's run and also worked as a producer. Ascent's contemporary corporate-thriller premise places him in a present-day setting and a different kind of ensemble, anchored by Davis. The casting also continues Paramount+'s strategy of building series around established stars and high-concept premises.
Davis's involvement as both lead and executive producer gives the project a significant profile before cameras roll. An EGOT winner — holding Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony honors — she has moved between film, television and theater throughout her career, and her attachment to Ascent signals the kind of prestige talent the streamer is courting for its drama slate. Heughan's fan base from Outlander adds a built-in audience to the mix.
No premiere date has been announced, and further casting for the series has not been revealed. With production set for Los Angeles next year, Ascent joins a growing roster of Paramount+ scripted thrillers in development, though the project's creative team and leads are now firmly in place.
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