If you're down for a spy series, then Black Doves is the one for you – and here is what we know so far about it.
We have lived in a world that is surrounded by excellent spy shows and movies. Such examples include the legendary James Bond franchise that has taken over the world (with all different kinds of actors portraying the famous spy), shows like Charlie's Angels, and cartoons such as the loveable Totally Spies – which is getting a new show this upcoming year.
Even in 2023, new spy shows arrived, such as the Amazon Prime series Citadel, which earned a Season 2 renewal. And today, we'll be talking about the new Netflix TV show coming to the popular streaming platform that'll take the spy genre to a new level – Black Doves.
But who is going to star in the new series? And what is it going to be about? For all the questions you might have about Black Doves, here is what we know so far – and what you can expect.
What Is The Black Doves Release Date?
When writing this in November 2023, there is no set release date for Black Doves. Variety initially announced the show in early April 2023, where it was also confirmed that Keira Knightley would star in the series, but aside from that, news has been slim up until now.
I doubt it will appear on any 2023 TV schedule, considering we're already nearing the end of the year, so keep an eye out for late 2024 for this series to come out on Netflix. It may even end up joining our list of the best shows to binge-watch on Netflix.
Keira Knightley Will Star
As previously discussed, Keira Knightley will star in Black Doves. It was confirmed with the show's arrival that Knightley would be the actress leading the project. She will play Helen Webb.
Knightley is known for many of her significant roles, both in movies and television. One of her most known parts was in the fantastic enemies-to-lovers movie Pride & Prejudice, but she has also appeared in various other films.
These include her part as Elizabeth Swan in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and other films like Bend It Like Beckham, Love Actually, Anna Karenina, Begin Again, The Duchess, Atonement, Colette, and more, some of which have led to her receiving nominations for Best Actress at the Academy Awards.
Her TV credits include several TV films like The Treasure Seekers, Princess of Thieves, and more. She was also a part of the miniseries Neverland, where she voiced Tinker Bell.
Black Doves would be Knightley's first leading role in a TV series that wasn't a guest starring role in a TV movie, so it's a significant deal. And I can't wait to see what she does with it.
Ben Whishaw, Sarah Lancashire And More Will Co-Star
Announced by Netflix in October 2023, it was confirmed that several stars have signed on for Black Doves next to Keira Knightley. The cast list keeps going, and there are so many here that you must look out for when this series drops.
The first up on this list is Ben Whishaw, who will play Sam Young. Wishaw is known for his time in the theatre and films, such as Hamlet, Skyfall, Spectre, No Time to Die, The Lobster, The Danish Girl, Mary Poppins Returns, and more. He also voices Paddington Bear in both Paddington and its sequel and is set to voice the animal again in the upcoming Paddington in Peru cast.
Next is Sarah Lancashire, who will play Reed, a spymaster. The actress has been around for decades and has appeared in various TV shows like Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax, and more recently in the Max original series, Julia, which is personally a favorite cooking show of mine.
Andrew Buchan will also appear in Black Doves, and the actor is primarily known for her role in the Amazon series Carnival Row. Andrew Koji, who is known for his part in Warrior, will have a role in the show, playing Jason.
Kathryn Hunter from Andor will appear. Sam Troughton (who has appeared in shows such as Chernobyl, Robin Hood, Hex, and more) is also a part of the cast.
Ella Lily Hyland, known for her roles in Fifteen-Love and Silent Roar, is a part of the cast, as well as Adam Silver, who will be in the upcoming TV series Masters of The Air. Ken Nwosu was most recently in the 2023 TV series The Winter King and will appear in Black Doves.
The last two actors confirmed to appear in the series are Gabrielle Creevy and Omari Douglas. Creevy is known for her role in the BBC television series In My Skin, and Douglas has appeared in several theatre productions, including Cabaret, A Little Life, Peter Pan, and more.
Talk about a stacked cast. Black Doves couldn't get here sooner.
Black Doves Is A Thrilling Spy Series Taking Place During Christmas
We do have an idea of what the story of Black Doves will be about, thanks to Netflix, and it turns out it just might get you in the Christmas spirit.
Black Doves will follow Knightley's character, Helen, a spy who has been in the business for ten years. But suddenly, when her secret lover is killed, and her situation is compromised, her spymaster calls in someone to keep her safe – enter Sam Young, Ben Whishaw's character.
The two of them then set off on a mission to see why her lover was killed and the conspiracy that is underlying it, which links back to the underworld of London and then the government as a whole.
It also says that this series will take place during the Christmas holiday. Whether Christmas will play a vital role in the series or it'll be something like the “Christmas movie” Die Hard, where it's just a background holiday, I'm still determining. But hopefully, we'll get some more updates soon.
Joe Barton Created And Wrote The Project
Also confirmed by Netflix is that Joe Barton created and wrote the project. The writer is known primarily for his projects Giri/Haji and The Lazarus Project.
But he's also worked on other pieces of media, including The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself, as well as the upcoming Amadeus series, according to Deadline.
Filming Began In October 2023
The last thing we're sure about is that Netflix confirmed filming for Black Doves began in the last week of October in the United Kingdom, so that most likely means that we'll be getting some updates soon regarding the process of the series – and quite possibly, a trailer in the next few months.
What are you excited about the most when it comes to Black Doves? All I know is that I feel myself getting more into the spy genre as time goes on – and now, I need to watch all of Keira Knightley's best movies—time for a movie marathon.
