In upcoming series “The Man Who Fell to Earth,” Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as an extraterrestrial who travels to Earth after his home planet dies. He seeks out scientist Justin Falls (Naomie Harris) to save both his world and hers. Inspired by the Walter Tevis novel of the same name — as well as the David Bowie film — “The Man Who Fell to Earth” will premiere April 24 on Showtime, with the first two episodes airing back to back. Jimmi Simpson, Rob Delaney, Sonya Cassidy, Joana Ribeiro, Annelle Olaleye, Kate Mulgrew, Clarke Peters, and Bill Nighy also co-star. Ejiofor, who additionally serves as executive producer, previously told IndieWire that he seeks to represent a wide array of storytelling onscreen. “I think it’s a very exciting time for diversity in cinema,” Ejiofor said during IndieWire’s 2019 Sundance Studio. “Of course, all these different perspectives from very powerful media industries and these different points of view actually affect the nature and the psychology of the societies that we’re all in, and that’s been part of the problem — that when things are related from only one point of view, that it kind of shuts down the conversation across the board in a cultural context.”
Ejiofor continued, “People don’t have genuine, authentic references from different places, different communities, different people’s point of view, or their lives.” “The Man Who Fell to Earth” is executive produced by Alex Kurtzman, Jenny Lumet, John Hlavin, Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly, Heather Kadin, Aaron Baiers, and StudioCanal’s Rola Bauer and Françoise Guyonnet. The series is also produced by CBS Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Timberman/Beverly. StudioCancal owns the rights for both Walter Tevis’ book as well as the Nicolas Roeg adaptation starring Bowie. The series is distributed internationally by Paramount Global Distribution Group. Showtime’s other upcoming titles include “The First Lady,” starring Viola Davis, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Gillian Anderson as former FLOTUS-es, as well as “Three Women,” “Let the Right One In,” and “American Gigolo.” Based on Lisa Taddeo’s bestselling book, “Three Women” stars Shailene Woodley, Betty Gilpin, and DeWanda Wise. “Let the Right One In” is adapted from the vampire drama of the same name, with Demián Bichir, Grace Gummer, and Anika Noni Rose leading the cast. “American Gigolo” is an adaptation of the 1980 Richard Gere film, this time starring Jon Bernthal and Jay Alan Christianson in the lead roles. Wayne Brady and Rose O’Donnell are also slated to star. “The Man Who Fell to Earth” premieres Sunday, April 24 at 10 p.m. on Showtime.
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