David Farnor | On 12, Jan 2018

“Your body is not who you are,” warns the new trailer for Netflix’s Altered Carbon, as the sci-fi series prepares to boot up for its release next month.

The show is set in the distant future, where human consciousness can be digitised and downloaded into different bodies. But in a world where bodies are not who you are, they are also something you don’t own: brought back to life after 250 years by Laurens Bancroft (James Purefoy) – the richest man on Earth – ex-Envoy soldier Takeshi Kovacs (Joel Kinnaman / Will Yun Lee) finds himself having to solve Bancroft’s attempted murder for the chance to live again in a world he doesn’t recognise.

Altered Carbon debuts exclusively on Netflix on Friday 2nd February – and with every new trailer that drops, it looks more and more like one of the year’s must-see series.

 

First teaser trailer lands for Altered Carbon

10th December 2017

The first teaser trailer for Altered Carbon has landed, and Netflix’s sci-fi series looks wonderfully creepy.

The show follows the death of the wealthiest man on Earth, Laurens Bancroft (James Purefoy). After decades of transferring his consciousness into a new, younger body, he brings back ex-Envoy soldier Takeshi Kovacs (Joel Kinnaman / Will Yun Lee) to investigate his death – and in exchange, Bancroft offers Kovacs the chance to live again.

It’s an intriguing premise, and one that’s given a convincingly eerie weight by Purefoy, whose gravelly voiceover is front and centre of the new trailer. The full series premieres on Netflix on 2nd February 2018. Here’s the teaser:

 

Altered Carbon: First look images released

4th December 2017

Netflix has unveiled our first look at Altered Carbon, its new sci-fi series – and things are looking mighty impressive.

The show takes place in a future where the human mind can now be digitized and downloaded into a “cortical stack” and placed into new bodies, called sleeves. A story of murder, love, sex, and betrayal, it’s based on the cyberpunk noir novel by Richard K. Morgan.

It takes place more than 300 years in the future, when society has been transformed by new technology: consciousness can be digitized; human bodies are interchangeable; death is no longer permanent. Joel Kinnaman stars as Takeshi Kovacs, the lone surviving soldier in a group of elite interstellar warriors, who were defeated in an uprising against the new world order. His mind was imprisoned, “on ice”, for centuries, until Laurens Bancroft (James Purefoy), an impossibly wealthy, long-lived man, offers Kovacs the chance to live again. In exchange, Kovacs has to solve a murder… that of Bancroft himself.

Netflix’s answer to Westworld, or perhaps even Blade Runner, the ambitious series will premiere on 2nd February 2018. Here’s the video announcing the show’s release date:

 

Kristen Lehman joins cast of Netflix’s Altered Carbon

17th November 2016

Kristen Lehman has joined the cast of Altered Carbon.

Netflix’s sci-fi series, which is based on Richard Morgan’s 2002 novel, has been building out its cast for some time.

The story takes place in the 25th century, when the human mind has been digitised and the soul is transferable from one body to another. Joel Kinnaman stars as Takeshi Kovacs, a former elite warrior, who is downloaded into a future he tried to stop – but could earn himself a chance at a new life, if he can solve a single murder in a world where technology has made death virtually obsolete.

Chris Conner, who played Jeffrey Toobin in the American Crime Story’s first season, has already signed on as an AI who is inhabiting the psyche of Edgar Allen Poe, while Ato Essandoh, who played Lester Grimes in HBO’s Vinyl, will play another former marine. James Purefoy will play a powerful member of society’s super-rich class known as “Methuselahs”, while Street Kings’ Martha Higareda will play the female lead opposite Kinnaman, as a tough lieutenant in the Bay City BD.

Joining them is Lehman, who will play the wife of Purefoy’s wealthy influencer, Miriam Bancroft. Having lived for 250 years, she will do “anything including playing to people’s desires in order to survive another 1,000 years”, writes Deadline.

The casting marks a reunion for Lehman and Netflix: the actress starred in the US remake of The Killing, which was snapped up by Netflix as an original series.

 

OJ Simpson and Vinyl veterans join cast of Altered Carbon

7th September
Netflix’s Altered Carbon has turned to The People v. OJ Simpson and Vinyl to round out its cast.

The sci-fi series, based on Richard Morgan’s 2002 novel, takes place in the 25th century, when the human mind has been digitised and the soul is transferable from one body to another.

Joel Kinnaman stars as Takeshi Kovacs, a former elite warrior, who is downloaded into a future he tried to stop – but could earn himself a chance at a new life, if he can solve a single murder in a world where technology has made death virtually obsolete.

Chris Conner, who played Jeffrey Toobin in the American Crime Story’s first season, will play an AI who is inhabiting the psyche of Edgar Allen Poe.

“He is the proprietor of the Raven, a luxury hotel that caters to the more discerning guest who values the ideals of an older, more civilized age,” says Deadline.

Ato Essandoh, who played Lester Grimes in HBO’s Vinyl – and appeared in this year’s Jason Bourne sequel, after roles in both Elementary and Django Unchained – has signed on to play Vernon Elliot, a former marine whose wife was imprisoned and whose daughter was killed.

“He’s a man with little to live for, save the hope of bringing his family back together,” reports Deadline. While he should be the enemy of Kinnaman’s Takeshi, though, they find themselves drawn together.

They join an ensemble that already includes James Purefoy and Martha Higareda.

 

James Purefoy and Martha Higareda join Joel Kinnaman in Netflix’s Altered Carbon

5th August 2016

Jamues Purefoy, Martha Higareda and more have joined Joel Kinnaman in Netflix’s Altered Carbon.

Based on Richard Morgan’s 2002 novel, the sci-fi series is set in the 25th century, when the human mind has been digitised and the soul is transferable from one body to another. Kinnaman stars as Takeshi Kovacs, a former elite warrior, who is downloaded into a future he tried to stop – but could earn himself a chance at a new life, if he can solve a single murder in a world where technology has made death virtually obsolete.

Higareda (Street Kings) will play the female lead opposite the Robocop star: Kristin Ortega, “a smart and tough Lieutenant in the Bay City PD”. She and her family are immigrants from the “North LaTam Zone” (formerly Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and El Salvador) and she is following in the footsteps of her police officer father.

Purefoy, who just delivered a sensational turn in Hap and Leonard (available on Amazon Prime Video in the UK), will play Laurens Bancroft, a controlling, moral, powerful, and influential member of society’s super-rich class known as “Methuselahs”.

Skydance Television’s production, which is written and exec produced by Laeta Kalogridis, has also added Dichen Lachman (The Last Ship) and Leonardo Nam (Westworld) to its cast. Lachman will play Takeshi’s older sister and Nam will play the body that Takeshi was born into.

Deadline

Joel Kinnaman to star in Netflix sci-fi drama, Altered Carbon

13th May 2016

Joel Kinnaman will star in Netflix’s sci-fi drama, Altered Carbon.

The new series, based on the book by Richard Morgan, has been adapted by writer Laeta Kalogridis (Shutter Island) for Skydance Television. THR reports that the show, set in the 25th century, will span 10 episodes and explore “what happens when the human mind becomes digitised and the soul is transferable from one body to another”.

It’s the kind of subject that suits Netflix down to the ground – indeed, the streaming giant has already snapped up the rights to Charlie Brooker’s twisted sci-fi anthology show, Black Mirror, which is now being produced and released worldwide as an exclusive Netflix original.

Kinnaman is no stranger to Netflix either, having starred in the US remake of The Killing, also picked up as a Netflix original, and, most recently, appeared in Season 4 of House of Cards. The Robocop and Easy Money actor will play Takeshi Kovacs, an former elite interstellar warrior who has been imprisoned for 500 years, before being downloaded into a future he tried to stop. If he can solve a single murder in a world where technology has made death practically obsolete, he will get a new chance at a new life.

Skydance, too, has history with the VOD giant, having teamed up with Netflix to produce comedy series Grace and Frankie, which has just released its second season. The script was reportedly penned some time ago by Kalogridis, as something of a passion project. Indeed, she will also exec produce and serve as showrunner for the programme, with Skydance’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Marcy Ross exec producing, alongside Kalogridis’ Mythology Entertainment partners Brad Fischer and James Vanderbilt.

Game of Thrones’ Miguel Sapochnik will direct the opening episode.

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