Game Of Thrones Star Returns In New Streaming Sci-Fi Series
Lena Headey — the actress most famous for playing one of the worst villains of all time, Cersei Lannister, in Game of Thrones — is returning to the small screen in a new streaming series on MGM+, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The actress will be starring in Beacon 23, a new sci-fi series based on Hugh Howey’s novel of the same name.
Stephan James joins Lena Headey in Beacon 23 as the second of two main protagonists that the series follows. James, who is known for playing Alonzo ‘Fonny’ Hunt in If Beale Street Could Talk, plays Halan, a man who works in a space “lighthouse” 200 years from our future. Heady plays Aster, a government agent who, along with Halan, becomes trapped in an AI-controlled beacon.
Lena Headey returns to streaming in Beacon 23, a sci-fi thriller series coming to MGM+.
As their stories converge over the course of the Beacon 23 season, palpable tension brews, and Halan grapples with the perplexing dilemma of discerning whether Lena Heady’s Aster is an ally or a potential adversary.
Lena Headey and Stephan James are set to star in eight episodes of the series that takes viewers to the farthest reaches of the Milky Way. Beacon 23 is the brainchild of creator Zak Penn, famous for Ready Player One, and features the creative talents of Glen Mazzara, known for his work on The Walking Dead. Together, they serve as showrunners and executive producers of this thrilling drama, produced by Boat Rocker Studios.
Beacon 23 also boasts an impressive lineup of additional executive producers, including David Fortier, Ivan Schneeberg, James Middleton, Nick Nantell, Tina Thor, Katie O’Connell Marsh, Elisa Ellis, Liz Varner, Ira Steven Behr, Daniel Percival, Joy Blake, and the stars, Lena Headey, and Stephan James.
Lena Headey’s Beacon 23 marks the second Spectrum series to find a new residence at MGM+, which is now under Amazon’s control.
Beacon 23 promises to be a thought-provoking genre story set in the captivating world of deep space. Michael Wright, the head of MGM+, expressed his excitement for the series, stating, “With the incredible vision of Zak Penn and Glen Mazzara, riveting performances by Lena Headey and Stephan James, and an exciting world-building design, Beacon 23 is essential viewing for fans of premium science-fiction drama.”
Originally developed as a Spectrum Original series, Beacon 23 was part of Charter Communications’ strategy to entice cable subscribers with scripted originals. However, Charter’s Spectrum Originals unit was restructured after Katherine Pope, its central executive, departed to assume the role of president at Sony Pictures Television. This departure left the Lena Headey-starring original series in search of a new home.
Lena Headey has experience with sci-fi; before Beacon 23, she was the villainous drug lord in Karl Urban’s Dredd.
Lena Headey’s Beacon 23 marks the second Spectrum series to find a new residence at MGM+, which is now under Amazon’s control. The network also secured the Damian Lewis and Guy Pearce series, A Spy Among Friends.
David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg, co-executive chairmen of Boat Rocker Media and co-chairmen of Boat Rocker Studios, expressed their delight at bringing Beacon 23 to MGM+. They stated how excited they were to “introduce viewers to a world in the dark recesses of space where nothing is quite what it seems.” The showrunners promise that Beacon 23 will be a rare psychological thriller with gripping performances from both lead actors, Lena Headey and Stephan James.
Lena Headey’s new series, Beacon 23, is set to air on November 12.
