Outlander's Sam Heughan to play "lethally charming" character in brand-new thriller

Outlander star Sam Heughan has been cast alongside Viola Davis in the upcoming Paramount+ thriller Ascent. Described as a "character-driven thriller", the series is set in a world of "global corporate crisis and damage control".

Heughan has been cast as Conal, one of Ascent Ventures' top agents. He is described as a "lethally charming and natural chameleon" who "always gets a thrill out of completing a mission", and an agent who "uses social cunning and ruthlessness to get the job done".

The previously announced Davis will play Catriona Vail, an "elite corporate fixer who must weaponise the ruthless skills that have made her indispensable to billion-dollar clients when her estranged daughter is in danger".

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Produced by Paramount Television Studios, Ascent is created by three-time Academy Award nominee John Logan, who is best known for his work on Skyfall, Gladiator and Penny Dreadful.

He serves as a showrunner and executive producer alongside Davis, Michael Aguilar, and Julius Tennon. The series does not yet have a release date, though production is slated to begin in Los Angeles next year.

Speaking about the project, Academy Award winner Davis said in a statement: "I am overwhelmingly excited about this journey with the great John Logan. We won the lottery with this one!"

"Work in which both story and character are bold, awe inspiring and deeply unique is why I became an artist. We at JuVee are deeply grateful to John Logan, Michael Aquilar and Paramount. We are ready to create magic," she added.

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Matt Thunell, president of Paramount Television Studios, said they "celebrate bold and original ideas", before adding that they were "honoured to support the vision of [the] exceptional" creative team.

Jane Wiseman, Head of Originals for Paramount+, said Ascent was "high-stakes television at its best", adding: "Viola doesn't just take on roles; she transforms them. Catriona is an incredibly complex character and she is exactly the generational talent to bring her to life."

Ascent is set to stream on Paramount+.

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Freelance Reporter, Digital Spy Rebecca is a freelance journalist who specializes in TV and film. After beginning her career as a digital entertainment journalist for the Express & Star and Shropshire Star, she embarked on a freelance career in 2021 contributing to the likes of Metro UK, The Sun, WhatCulture, Screen Rant, FilmHounds Magazine and more. Her particular field of interest is horror cinema and she has written for genre publications such as Ghouls Magazine and Moving Pictures Film Club. LinkedIn