Triple Golden Globe nominee Thomas Jane has been cast in the upcoming television adaptation of the Leviathan Wakes book series by James S.A. Corey. Syfy has ordered The Expanse straight to a 10 episode series, adding it to a list of new ventures for the cable network, which also includes 12 Monkeys, Dominion, Olympus, Ascension and Z Nation.
With Jane in the role of Miller – a detective working for a corporate security force in the Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter – the story takes place 200 years in the future, when Miller takes on the case of a missing heiress. During the course of his investigation, he crosses paths with a rogue ship’s captain, and the pair find themselves on the trail of a far bigger, more dangerous conspiracy, that threatens to cause galactic conflict.
The adaptation is penned by Academy Award nominated screenwriters Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby (Children Of Men, Iron Man), who will also serve as showrunners and executive producers. The production of The Expanse as a television series is a shrewd move for Syfy. The plot details for these 10 episodes reflect that of the first book of the series – Leviathan Wakes – with three more completed books then available as source material for future seasons. Beyond that, two more full length books have been commissioned, as well as five novellas set in the same universe. Should this first television outing for the space opera be successful, there is a wealth of story left to bring to the small screen.
The casting of Thomas Jane (Hung) bodes well for the show, as he would seem to be a pitch perfect choice for this lead role. All eyes will now be on the part of the rogue ship’s captain, as we wait to hear which actor is selected to bring him to life. Whoever it turns out to be, things are looking good for The Expanse.
