The benevolent sci-fi gods love rolling out derelict starships, remote outposts and haunted space stations as go-to destinations for telling the popular genre’s compelling tales across the entertainment landscape.
MGM+ is tapping into that narrative legacy with its new sci-fi thriller series, “Beacon 23,” which premieres Sunday (Nov. 12) at 9:00 p.m. EST/PST with a double-header debut — and we’ve got an intense clip to share from the second episode for the intriguing project, starring Lena Headey and Stephan James.
“Beacon 23” hails from the mind of veteran creator Zak Penn, who first catapulted to the Hollywood scene by conjuring the story for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “Last Action Hero” from 1993. Penn has since made a reputable name for himself by contributing to a range of storylines from “The Incredible Hulk” and “X2: X-Men United” to “The Avengers” and “Ready Player One.”
Credit: MGM+ (Image credit: MGM+)
Led by the arresting performances of Headey (“Game of Thrones,” “Dredd”) and James (“21 Bridges”) the 8-episode prestige series was adapted from New York Times bestselling author Hugh Howey’s (“Silo Trilogy”) collection of “Beacon 23” stories.
Here’s the official description:
“Beacon 23′ takes place in the farthest reaches of the Milky Way and follows Aster (Lena Headey), a government agent, and Halan (Stephan James), a stoic ex-military man, whose fates become entangled after they find themselves trapped together inside one of many Beacons that serve as a lighthouse for intergalactic travelers. Every Beacon is run by one highly trained human and a specialized Artificial Intelligence. Aster mysteriously finds her way to the lonely Beacon-keeper Halan, and a tense battle of wills unfolds. Halan begins to question whether Aster is friend or foe, as her ability to disguise her agenda and motives could make her a formidable opponent.”
Credit: MGM+
(Image credit: MGM+)
With stirring theme music by “Game of Thrones” composer Ramin Djawadi and co-starring Marnie McPhail, Daniel Malik, Cyrus Faird, Hannah Melissa Scott, Tara Rosling and Sydney Ozerov-Meyer, this psychological mystery in outer space shepherded by showrunner Glen Mazzara (“The Walking Dead”) could become the surprise hit of the fall season with its impressive pedigree.
“Beacon 23” lands at MGM+ on Nov. 12th; the first two episodes will be aired together to launch the series, followed by subsequent weekly chapters every Sunday.
