It was the 60s thriller that no-one could work out. And now Jim Caviezel and Ian McKellen are set to star in ITV’s reinvention The Prisoner. Caviezel takes the role of Number Six while McKellen will appear throughout the series in the role of Number Two. A worldwide premiere slated for 2009.
In the 1960s, The Prisoner helped permanently alter the scope of the fantasy genre. Through the work of Patrick McGoohan – who created, produced, wrote and directed the series, and starred in the lead role of Number Six – The Prisoner is widely regarded as one of the most intriguing cult TV series ever created.
While the original series, which debuted in 1967, was a riff on Cold War politics, ITV’s remake will reflect 21st century concerns and anxieties, such as liberty, security and surveillance, yet also showcase the same key elements of paranoia, tense action and socio-political commentary seen in McGoohan’s enigmatic original.
The six one-hour episodes tell the story of a man who finds himself trapped in a mysterious and surreal place known as The Village, with no memory of how he arrived. As he frantically explores his environment, he discovers that its inhabitants are identified by number instead of by name and have no memory of a prior existence or outside civilization. Not knowing who to trust, Number Six is driven by the desperate need to discover the truth behind The Village, the reason for his being there, and most importantly, how he can survive and escape to his previous life.
The Village is controlled by one man – the sinister and charismatic Number Two. In each new episode Six and Two are locked in a battle of wits, as Six challenges the oppressive nature of The Village and battles against his captors. Six must find out what The Village is, but in doing so, he must also confront some dark truths about himself.
Jim Caviezel is probably best known for his starring role as Jesus Christ in the film The Passion of the Christ. The film went on to become one of the highest-grossing movies of all-time and made Jim a household-name. Most recently Caviezel played against type when he co-starred opposite Denzel Washington in the thriller Déjà vu.
Ian McKellen is one of the world’s foremost stage and screen actors and has been honoured with more than 40 International awards. Most recently, he received critical acclaim and an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of “Gandalf” in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy.
McKellen says of the role: “Bill Gallagher’s new version of The Prisoner is an enthralling commentary on modern culture. It is witty, intelligent and disturbing. I am very excited to be involved.”
John Whiston, Director of ITV Productions says: “For those of us who were watching grown up TV in the 60s The Prisoner was dangerous, exciting and challenging TV. For those of us who were too young to stay up to watch the series, it casts a long shadow. You don’t embark on something this iconic without the best team around to do it justice for a whole new era. With Bill Gallagher as writer, Trevor Hopkins as Producer, Michele Buck, Damien Timmer and Rebecca Keane as the UK Execs, AMC as production partners, ITV as UK Commissioners and Jim Caviezel and Ian McKellen leading the cast, we have that team on board. I can’t wait.”
