HBO’s spy drama, The Missionary, to be filmed in Europe and focus on The Cold War, has found its lead. The pilot has signed on Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter’s Benjamin Walker--an actor with a tough face and a strong jaw--to play the lead in the Cold War drama The Missionary.
Way back in June, we announced The Missionary was in development at HBO, with Aaron Paul in talks to star in the series. Unfortunately, Walker’s arrival as the series lead means Paul is out, and while Breaking Bad fans may be bummed about the news, I still maintain Walker is an awesome Abe in Vampire Hunter and should do well in The Missionary pilot.
The pilot is being executive produced by a few big names, including Malcolm Gladwell (Yes, the Blink guy), Entourage producers Mark Wahlberg and Stephen Levinson, and TV writer Charles Randolph. According to Deadline, in the pilot Walker will play an American missionary living in Berlin in the 1960s. Things begin to go awry when the young missionary decides to help a woman attempting to escape East Berlin. Randolph is writing the pilot and Contraband’s Baltasar Kormakur is set to direct.
TV Blend will keep you posted if The Missionary gets a series pick-up. With HBO’s darlings Wahlberg and Levinson on board to produce, things look pretty bright for the potential series, but I don’t want to count my chickens before they hatch. I will repeat my sentiments on the series lead, however. Walker is really fun to watch, and I hope this one makes HBO’s cut.
