Hugh Grant To Play Zeus In Netflix’s Greek Mythology Reimagining ‘Kaos’ From Creator Charlie Covell; Janet McTeer, Cliff Curtis & David Thewlis Among Additional Series Regulars

EXCLUSIVE: Hugh Grant (The Undoing), Janet McTeer (Ozark), Cliff Curtis (Avatar: The Way of Water), David Thewlis (Fargo), Killian Scott (Dublin Murders), Misia Butler (The School for Good and Evil), Leila Farzad (I Hate Suzie), Nabhaan Rizwan (Station Eleven), Rakie Ayola (The Pact) and Stanley Townsend (The Current War) have signed on for series regular roles alongside Aurora Perrineau in Charlie Covell’s mythological epic Kaos for Netflix, which will go into production later this summer.

The series is billed as a bold, darkly comic, contemporary take on Greek mythology, exploring love, power and life in the underworld. Nothing is sacred in Covell’s bold reinvention of Greek myths (think tracksuits not togas), except the treachery and arrogance of a bunch of inconstant gods and their cosmic machinations…Some things never change. Grant is set to portray the seemingly all-powerful, yet desperately insecure and vengeful Zeus, who has long enjoyed his status as King of The Gods. That is, until he wakes up one morning and discovers a wrinkle on his forehead. Neurosis then sets in, setting him off on a dangerous, paranoid path. Zeus becomes convinced his fall is coming – and starts to see signs of it everywhere.

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2022 Netflix Pilot & Series Orders

Zeus’ once reliable brother, Hades (Thewlis), God of the Underworld, is secretly losing his grip on his dark dominion. There is a backlog of dead waiting to be processed and they are growing restless. Hera (McTeer), Queen of the Gods, exercises dominion on Earth — and over Zeus — in her own unique way. But her power and freedom become threatened by Zeus’ growing paranoia, and she is forced to act, while Zeus’ rebellious son, Dionysus, (Rizwan), is out of control and on course for a cosmic collision with his father.

On Earth, people are aching for change. However, Poseidon (Curtis), God of Sea, Storms and Earthquakes—and Horses—is more concerned with the size of his super-yacht and where the next party is at. The well-being of mere mortals is of little interest to him. Unfortunately for the Gods, some of those mortals are beginning to realize this…These mortals – Riddy (Perrineau), Orpheus (Scott), Caneus (Butler) and Ari (Farzad) – come from different walks of life and are all cosmically connected in the battle against Zeus. Each one has a very different role to play, and any one of them may be destined to bring down the God.

Also set to appear in Kaos, in a cameo role, is I Hate Suzie‘s Billie Piper. The roles Ayola and Townsend will be playing haven’t been disclosed. The eight-episode series created and written by Covell, and produced by global content company Sister (This is Going to Hurt, Chernobyl) and Anthem, was commissioned for Netflix by Anne Mensah and Sophie Klein. Georgi Banks-Davies (I Hate Suzie) is confirmed as lead director and executive producer, with Runyararo Mapfumo (Sex Education) having come aboard to direct the second block. Additional exec producers include Jane Featherstone (Chernobyl, This is Going to Hurt), Chris Fry (Chernobyl, Landscapers) and Nina Lederman. Katie Carpenter (Landscapers, Flowers), Harry Munday (Landscapers, White Lines) and Michael Eagle-Hodgson (Gangs of London Season 2) are producing for Sister, with Georgia Christou aboard as the writer for Episode 6.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be making KAOS, and I can’t think of a more exciting or dynamic team of people to bring everything to life. Georgi and Runyararo are both visionary directors with pleasingly dark senses of humour — I’m delighted to be working with them both,” said Covell. “I believe I’m still in shock at the news that Hugh Grant has agreed to play Zeus — this was my dream. He’s leading a stupendous cast of actors and we’re extremely honoured to have them all on board. I can’t wait for filming to begin.”

“We are delighted to have such a phenomenal cast and team delivering Charlie Covell’s unique, contemporary vision of a mythical world,” said Klein, who serves as Director of UK Series at Netflix. “Joyful and dark, Kaos will entertain, amuse and move you all at once.”

Added Sister’s Featherstone and Fry: “Ditch everything you think you might know about the Greek myths, because Charlie’s re-imagining of the inner workings of Mount Olympus is completely unexpected and endlessly brilliant. With Hugh Grant as Zeus, King of the Gods, and the hugely talented Georgi Banks-Davies and Runyararo Mapfumo on directorial duties, the mythological world he and his fellow gods inhabit are set to come to life in the most epic of ways and we’re thrilled and privileged to work alongside them and Netflix as they create some Kaos in the world.”

Grant is a BAFTA Award winner who recently landed his second Emmy nomination for his turn in HBO’s The Undoing. He’ll next be seen in Guy Ritchie’s Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre, Paramount and eOne’s Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and the Jerry Seinfeld-directed Netflix comedy, Unfrosted.

McTeer is an Emmy and two-time Oscar nominee who played Helen Pierce on Netflix’s Ozark and will next be seen in Mark Mylod’s horror-comedy The Menu for Searchlight.

Curtis recently appeared in Lisa Joy’s Reminiscence and will play Tonowari in the next four Avatar films.

Thewlis is an Emmy nominee known for his role as V.M. Varga on FX’s Fargo who will next be seen on Netflix’s series The Sandman. Other upcoming projects include Enola Holmes 2, Avatar 3 and Jonathan Sobol’s sci-fi mystery, Littlemouth.

Scott can be seen on the series Dublin Murders from BBC One and Starz, having previously appeared on programs like C.B. Strike, Damnation and Ripper Street. Butler appeared on the Netflix series Kiss Me First and will next appear in Paul Feig’s Netflix fantasy pic The School for Good and Evil. Farzad has been seen on series including The Fear Index, Landscapers and I Hate Suzie, among others, along with such films as Richard II. Rizwan has been seen on such series as Industry and Station Eleven, and in films including Mogul Mowgli and 1917. Ayola’s recent credits include the series Grace, Alex Rider, The Pact, Noughts + Crosses and Shetland. Townsend has been seen in films like The Current War and series like Galavant. Piper is known for portraying the titular character on the British series I Hate Suzie and will next appear in Lena Dunham’s film Catherine Called Birdy.

Grant is represented by CAA; McTeer by Curtis Brown Group, Mgmt Entertainment and Greenberg Glusker; Curtis by Verve and Anonymous Content; Thewlis by The Artists Partnership and CAA; Scott by Curtis Brown Group, Entertainment 360 and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern; Butler by Curtis Brown Group and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman; Farzad by B-Side Management; Rizwan by B-Side Management and UTA; Ayola by The Artists Partnership; Townsend by Gordon and French; Piper by UTA; and Mapfumo by WME, United Agents and Hansen, Jacobsen, Teller.

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