(Photo: Paramount+)

The Agency (formerly titled The Department) has its lead. Michael Fassbender is set to star in the spy thriller series headed to Paramount+ and Showtime. Fassbender will executive produce the series alongside George Clooney and Grant Heslov. Clooney was originally set to star in the project when it was ordered to series in February 2023.

The thriller follows a CIA agent forced to abandon his undercover life and return to work. No additional casting has been announced this far.

Paramount+ released a press release with more about the series.

Paramount+ with SHOWTIME today announced that production is underway on the political espionage thriller THE AGENCY with two-time Academy Award nominee Michael Fassbender set as star and executive producer. George Clooney and Grant Heslov will executive produce through their Smokehouse Pictures with Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios set to produce.

THE AGENCY is a fresh take on the critically acclaimed hit French drama Le Bureau des Légendes (The Bureau internationally) and will debut on demand and on streaming for Paramount+ subscribers with the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan, before making its on-air debut. The series will also stream internationally on Paramount+ in the UK, Canada, Australia, Italy, Germany, Latin America, Brazil and Japan. The series is co-distributed internationally by Paramount Global Content Distribution and Federation Studios.

The series follows Martian (Fassbender), a covert CIA agent ordered to abandon his undercover life and return to London Station. When the love he left behind reappears, romance reignites. His career, his real identity and his mission are pitted against his heart; hurling them both into a deadly game of international intrigue and espionage.

“Michael Fassbender is one of the most gifted actors of our time,” said Chris McCarthy, Paramount Global Co-CEO and President/CEO, Showtime & MTV Entertainment Studios. “He brings a gravitas and nuanced complexity to every character he inhabits which is why we are so excited for him to star in THE AGENCY as we start to roll out our new slate of SHOWTIME originals.”

Fassbender has just completed production on Steven Soderbergh feature, BLACK BAG with Cate Blanchett and will next be seen in Sundance Audience Award winner, KNEECAP, about the rise of the Belfast-based rap trio.  Last year he returned to screens with David Fincher’s acclaimed noir assassin thriller, THE KILLER and also Taika Waititi’s comedy, NEXT GOAL WINS.

Fassbender’s previous screen work includes the X-MEN series – X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX, X-MEN FIRST CLASS, X MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST and X MEN: APOCALYPSE – as well as PROMETHEUS and ALIEN: COVENANT, ASSASSIN’S CREED, THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS, MACBETH, TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE, A DANGEROUS METHOD, JANE EYRE, FRANK, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, EDEN LAKE, 300, and FISH TANK. Fassbender’s production company DMC Films recent films include BAFTA nominated features SCRAPPER and CALM WITH HORSES and Daniel Kaluuya’s directorial debut, THE KITCHEN.

The Bureau – Le Bureau des Légendes centers on the daily life and missions of agents within France’s principal external security service (DGSE). It focuses on the “Bureau of Legends” service, responsible for training and handling deep-cover agents on long-term missions in areas with French interests. Living under false identities for years, these agents’ missions are to identify and recruit good intelligence sources. The New York Times named it one of the top international shows of the decade, and NPR has called it “addictively suspenseful” and “one of the best TV shows in the world.” The Bureau – Le Bureau des Légendes was created by Eric Rochant and is a CANAL+ Creation Originale series produced by TOP – The Originals Productions and Federation Studios.

Golden Globe® nominee and multi-BAFTA® winner Joe Wright (Pride and Prejudice, The Darkest Hour and The Atonement) will direct and executive produce the new drama series and Tony® Award-winning writer Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth (Ford v Ferrari, Edge of Tomorrow) will executive produce and write all ten episodes.

Commissioned by Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and produced in association with 101 Studios, THE AGENCY is executive produced by Keith Cox and Nina L. Diaz of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios; David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle, David Hutkin and Bob Yari of 101 Studios (Yellowstone); George Clooney and Grant Heslov for Smokehouse Pictures; Alex Berger for TOP-The Originals Productions; Ashley Stern and Pascal Breton for Federation Studios/Federation Entertainment of America; and Michael Fassbender. Jez and John-Henry Butterworth are writers and executive producers; Joe Wright is executive producer and director for the first two episodes.

The premiere date and additional casting for The Agency will be announced later.

What do you think? Are you planning to check out this new series? Do you typically like thrillers?