Earth Abides Series: Alexander Ludwig to Play Ish in MGM+ Adaptation of George R. Stewart Sci-Fi Novel

Alexander Ludwig is relocating from Starz to MGM+.

Fresh off the cancellation of Heels, Ludwig will headline the MGM+ limited series Earth Abides, based on the George R. Stewart novel of the same name.

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Adapted by showrunner Todd Komarnicki (Sully) and described as “a wildly imaginative new take” on the sci-fi classic, Earth Abides centers on Ludwig’s Ish, “a brilliant but solitary young geologist living a semi-isolated life who awakens from a coma only to find that there is no one left alive but him.

“A plague of unprecedented virulence has swept the globe — and yes, there are a few scattered survivors, but there are no rules,” according to the official logline. “His journey is to learn the difference between sanctuary and survival, and to open his heart to love, if he is to find meaning in his life after the great machine of civilization has broken down.”

Production on the six-episode series is set to begin in Vancouver on Monday, April 8. MGM+ is targeting a late 2024 release date.

“It’s very special to reintroduce Earth Abides to fans of George Stewart’s seminal work of science fiction, as well as to a new generation,” MGM+ head Michael Wright said in a statement Tuesday. “The story’s messages of humanity, hope and compassion are as relevant today as they were nearly a century ago.”

Added Komarnicki: “It has been an unmitigated thrill to adapt such a seminal sci-fi work, and the themes illuminated by George Stewart 75 years ago could not be more meaningful and timelier for the world we are living in today. Despite the chaos and division that greets us every morning in the news, the truth remains that the way forward for society is through unity, compassion, forgiveness, understanding and grace.”

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Ludwig is best known to TV audiences for his turn as Bjorn Ironside in the History Channel drama Vikings, which wrapped its six-season run in 2020. More recently, he co-starred opposite Stephen Amell in the aforementioned wrestling drama Heels, which aired for two seasons on Starz and was cancelled in December.

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