Alexandra Roach and Joe Cole Starrer ‘Nightsleeper’ Debuts Images of a Series That ‘Will Do for Trains What ‘Jaws’ Did for Sharks’ (EXCLUSIVE)
27.11.2023 - 17:01
/ variety.com
Marta Balaga Forget the fear of flying. In the upcoming six-episode thriller “Nightsleeper,” the real danger awaits on a train travelling from Glasgow to London. “When we were developing the show, we got all these experts in one room and asked: ‘How do you hack a train?’ An hour later, they said: ‘This is scary.
We could easily do it now, between ourselves’,” says writer Nick Leather. “We will do for trains what ‘Jaws’ did for sharks.” Produced by Fremantle’s Euston Films and set to premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in early 2024, “Nightsleeper” is directed by Jamie Magnus Stone and John Hayes. While Abby Aysgarth (Alexandra Roach) at the U..K’s National Cyber Security Centre is trying her best to stop the train, some remaining passengers also join forces – including off-duty cop Joe Roag (“Peaky Blinders” actor Joe Cole).
But they only have six hours and one satellite phone. “When I first read the script, that’s what was interesting to me: the relationship between Abby and Joe. I was curious how we were going to make it work,” admits Roach.
“It was a real test to find that chemistry when you are not in the same room. Abby and Joe don’t know each other, but there is immediate trust and respect. Also, there is intimacy that comes from getting to know someone just by their voice.” As time goes by, their relationship is tested.
But despite the ongoing crisis, they still manage to bond – also over Kate Nash’s 2007 hit “Foundations.” “It’s a big action thriller, but because of such moments I felt I already knew Abby. She is funny, she lets her guard down, she is super anxious, which, at least to me, makes her relatable. When I was explaining the premise of the show, lots of people said to me: ‘It’s like ‘Speed.’ I made a
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