House of the Dragon has roared back to life with Season 3 on HBO after just two episodes. Coming off a second run that was met with lackluster reviews for its lack of payoff, ended two episodes shorter than its inaugural season, and faced fiery criticism from George R.R. Martin himself, the Game of Thrones prequel spin-off’s penultimate outing began with a bang, thanks in part to an action-packed depiction of the Battle of the Gullet filled with loss that’s bound to impact the course of the story. Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) has been on a costly warpath for the Iron Throne, and critics, at least, are so far loving it, with a Certified Fresh 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Matt Smith‘s King-Consort Daemon Targaryen will be by the Queen’s side along the way, but while the series thrives, the actor is also eyeing a steamy new role to add to his resume.
A new report has confirmed that Smith’s voice will soon be heard in the immersive romance audio series The Wolf from audio erotica platform Quinn. The three-part project will be a murder mystery, casting the former Time Lord as a private investigator named James Pierce who’s in search of a ruthless billionaire who’s gone missing. His search for Gregory Barclay takes him to an age-old villa on Lake Como, where the magnate’s enchanting new wife, Rosalind, awaits, whom he quickly learns is the real client. James is charged with investigating Barclay’s inner circle, all of whom have reasons not to be trusted, but despite his best efforts, he can’t help but begin falling for Rosalind and jeopardizing his own case.
Making the role particularly unique for Smith is that he’s not just narrating the audio drama. He’s speaking directly to the listeners, who are put in Rosalind’s shoes and experience James’ growing affection. For Quinn, he marks the latest Hollywood actor who’s stepped into one of their sizzling stories, with previous stars reading for the romance giant including Andrew Scott, Manny Jacinto, Tom Blyth, Jamie Campbell Bower, Victoria Pedretti, Shawn Hatosy, and both Heated Rivalry breakout stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, among others. The platform has described its work as “made by women, for the world,” and Smith was more than game for the challenge, describing in a statement how The Wolf plays to murder mystery fans who want something a bit spicier.
“The Wolf is a dangerous, sexy, seductive murder mystery. The listener is dropped into a very glamorous world. I think this series is for anyone who loves a good murder mystery, and also loves a bit of eroticism in their murder mysteries.”
What Else Does Matt Smith Have on the Horizon?
Beyond Westeros and the steamy world of The Wolf, Smith is gearing up to take on another massive franchise — Star Wars. Last year, news broke that he’d play the villain of Shawn Levy‘s Star Wars: Starfighter, due out in theaters on May 28, 2027. It’s a chance for redemption for the actor within a galaxy far, far away after his appearance was cut from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and it’ll see him match up against Ryan Gosling. He’ll also star alongside Mia Goth, Amy Adams, Aaron Pierre, Flynn Gray, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, and Daniel Ings, though what manner of evildoer he’ll play has been kept under wraps, aside from the fact that he had to shave his head for the part.
A preview of The Wolf‘s first episode is now available on Quinn before the first two drop in full tonight at 6 p.m. PT/ 9 p.m. ET. See Smith‘s announcement video for Quinn in the player above.
via Collider