Gabriel Byrne (Hereditary) and Elizabeth McGovern (Downton Abbey) will lead the ensemble cast in Urban Myth Film's TV series reimagining of the science fiction classic novel War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells, Deadline reported. Written and created by Howard Overman (Misfits), the project also stars Léa Drucker, Natasha Little, Daisy Edgar Jones, Stéphane Caillard, Adel Bencherif and Guillaume Gouix.
Production is currently underway in the U.K. and France on the eight-episode series. Gilles Coulier (Cargo) will direct the first four episodes. Richard Clark (Versailles) will helm episodes five to eight.
"Set in contemporary Europe, the reimagining will follow the pockets of humanity left on earth following an apocalyptic extra-terrestrial strike," Deadline wrote. The series is due to debut later this year on Canal+ in France, and on Fox in more than 50 markets.
The BBC is also releasing a TV adaptation of War of the Worlds later this year, starring Rafe Spall and Eleanor Tomlinson.