David Oyelowo To Star In ‘The President Is Missing’ Showtime Pilot Based On Bill Clinton-James Patterson Novel

Nellie Andreeva and Denise Petski

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David Oyelowo (Selma) is set to headline The President Is Missing, Showtime’s drama series adaptation of the novel by President Bill Clinton and James Patterson from Christopher McQuarrie and Anthony Peckham. With Oyelowo on board, the network has greenlighted the project to pilot, which is in pre-production and scheduled to shoot in 2020.

Oyelowo also will executive produce The President Is Missing alongside Oscar winner Christopher McQuarrie; Peckham, who penned the adaptation; Heather McQuarrie; as well as Clinton and Patterson.

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In The President Is Missing, a powerless and politically aimless vice president (Oyelowo) unexpectedly becomes president halfway into his administration’s first term, despite his every wish to the contrary. He walks right into a secret, world-threatening crisis, both inside and outside the White House. Attacked by friends and enemies alike, with scandal and conspiracy swirling around him, he is confronted with a terrible choice: keep his head down, toe the party line and survive, or act on his stubborn, late-developing conscience and take a stand. The series is based on the bestseller by Clinton and Patterson, which was the No. 1 novel of 2018 and has sold more than 2.3 million copies in North America alone.

Bill Robinson and Leopoldo Gout also executive produce. Jillian Share co-executive produces for Invisible Ink Productions.

“David brings such enormous depth, sensitivity and power to every role he plays,” said Gary Levine, President of Entertainment at Showtime Networks. “Having him as our lead ensures that our series will have the exhilarating suspense of a political thriller along with the juicy complexity of a character drama.”

2019 Showtime Pilots & Series Orders

Oyelowo received Golden Globe and Film Independent Spirit Award nominations for his breakout portrayal of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, and a year later earned Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for HBO’s Nightingale. He recently starred in The Cloverfield Paradox, Gringo and the Blumhouse-produced thriller Relive, which debuted at Sundance this year.

Oyelowo’s forthcoming slate includes Sony’s Peter Rabbit 2; the Doug Liman-helmed sci-fi film Chaos Walking; and Come Away, the fantasy drama in which he stars opposite Angelina Jolie. Also upcoming for Oyelowo is The Water Man, executive produced by Oprah Winfrey, in which he will make his feature directorial debut.

Oyelowo is repped by CAA, attorneys Ira Schreck and Seth Horwitz, and Christian Hoddell of Hamilton Hoddell in the UK.

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