'Sexy Beast' Prequel Lands Series Order at Paramount Network

Paramount Network is adding to its scripted roster with a series based on the 2000 movie Sexy Beast.


The Viacom-owned cable channel has given a 10-episode order to the series, which will be a prequel set in 1990s London. It will follow Gal Dove (played by Ray Winstone in the movie), a brilliant thief who's seduced into the London underworld, and explore the beginnings of his relationships with gangster Don Love (Ben Kingsley in the movie), criminal mastermind Teddy Bass (Ian McShane) and DeeDee (Amanda Redman), an adult film star who in the movie is Gal's wife.


Michael Caleo (The Sopranos, Ironside) adapted the movie. Karyn Kusama (Destroyer, Halt and Catch Fire) will direct and executive produce through her company, Familystyle. Paramount Television and Anonymous Content are producing.


"We're thrilled Sexy Beast is joining our robust scripted slate of originals," said Keith Cox, president development and production at Paramount Network and TV Land. "We were impressed with Michael Caleo's craft of the prequel, bringing these strong characters back to life for TV audiences, and with the exceptional style Karyn Kusama plans to bring to this series. We're also honored to team with our sister studio, Paramount Television, in collaborating on this exciting project."


Added Paramount TV president Nicole Clemens and the partners at Anonymous Content, "Sexy Beast is a cult classic because of its unique tone and style. Mike Caleo has managed to capture that brilliance that we've loved for so long. His excellent script attracted Karyn Kusama, whose work has the same intersection of intensity and style that was beloved in the film. We're so lucky to be collaborating with her. This is also our second project with Paramount Network, and we're thrilled to continue this synergistic relationship."


Caleo and Kusama executive produce with Familystyle's Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay and the film's screenwriters, Louis Mellis and David Scinto.


The pickup for Sexy Beast follows that of Coyote, a drama about a border agent starring Michael Chiklis, who's executive producing with Michelle MacLaren. The cabler also has dramedies Emily in Paris and 68 Whiskey and thriller Paradise Lost — which will air first on the Spectrum Originals platform before coming to Paramount — in the pipeline, along with breakout Yellowstone, which has been renewed for a third season.