Michael Fassbender is a covert CIA agent in the first look at Showtime‘s highly-anticipated espionage thriller The Agency, with the trailer and premiere date for the series releasing today. The Agency will debut on Friday, November 29 before its on-air bow in a two-episode premiere on streaming and on demand for Paramount+ subscribers who have the Paramount+ with Showtime plan. The series is a new take on the French drama Le Bureau des Legendes, which was a smash hit with audiences and critics when it was released.

The show follows Fassbender‘s character Martian, a CIA agent working undercover who is abruptly ordered to abandon the life he’s crafted and return to his base at London Station. But when the figure with whom he fell in love reappears in his life, sparks fly once again. However, his career, his true identity, and his mission are all at risk when it comes to matters of the heart, and it sends them both into a globe-trotting game of espionage which could have deadly consequences.

The series has an outstanding cast alongside Fassbender. CIA operations director and Martian’s mentor, Henry, will be played by Jeffrey Wright. Jodie Turner-Smith (The Acolyte) is playing Sami Zahir, a social anthropology professor who shares a history with Martian. Richard Gere plays Bosko, the London bureau chief. Katherine Waterston (Inherent Vice) is Martian’s ex-handler, Naomi, while John Magaro (Past Lives) plays another handler, Owen. Alex Reznik (Hearts Beat Loud) and Andrew Brooke (Angel Has Fallen) will play CIA agents Coyote and Grandpa. Harriet Sansom Harris (Werewolf by Night) will play CIA psychologist Dr. Blake, Saura Lightfoot-Leon (Masters of the Air) will play Danny, a CIA trainee, and India Fowler (The Nevers) appears as Martian’s teenage daughter, Poppy.

Hugh Bonneville appears as a guest star, while the recurring cast includes Adam Nagaitis, Ambreen Razia, Bilal Hasna, David Harewood, Kurt Egyiawan, Ray BLK, Sabrina Wu, and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor. Behind the scenes, Joe Wright (Darkest Hour) will direct the first two episodes. All ten episodes of the first season will be written by brothers Jez and John-Henry Butterworth (Edge of Tomorrow, Ford v Ferrari).

What Is ‘The Agency’ Based On?

As per Showtime, Le Bureau des Legendes, which was the inspiration behind The Agency, “centers on the daily life and missions of agents within France’s principal external security service. It focuses on the “Bureau of Legends,” responsible for training and handling deep-cover agents on long-term missions in areas with French interests. Living under false identities for years, these agents’ missions are to identify and recruit good intelligence sources.”

The Agency will debut on Friday, November 29 on Paramount+ with Showtime.

via Collider