Michael Shannon to co-star in BBC miniseries 'Little Drummer Girl'

Jan. 26 (UPI) -- The Shape of Water and 12 Strong actor Michael Shannon is to co-star with Florence Pugh and Alexander Skarsgård in the six-part miniseries The Little Drummer Girl.

The project is set in the 1970s and marks director Park Chan-wook's television debut.

Based on the spy novel of the same name by John le Carré, the program is to air on the BBC in the United Kingdom and AMC in the United States.

"The first time I saw Michael was as one of the genius actors who delivered wonderful performances in Revolutionary Road, and ever since I've remained his loyal fan. I believe Michael will make the perfect Kurtz, a man scarred by history and carrying burdens all too heavy on his shoulders, an Israeli Captain Ahab obsessed by his biggest and most elusive nemesis yet," Park Chan-wook said in a statement.

A synopsis said the miniseries is about what happens when "brilliant, young actress Charlie strikes up an acquaintance with an intriguing stranger while on holiday in Greece, but it rapidly becomes apparent that his intentions are far from romantic. The man is Becker, an Israeli intelligence officer, who entangles her in a complex and high-stakes plot orchestrated by Israeli spymaster Kurtz."

Shannon's other credits include Waco, Loving, Midnight Special, Man of Steel, Elvis & Nixon and Nocturnal Animals.