HBO has officially given a series order to the upcoming limited series adaptation of Olivier Assayas’s 1996 film titled Irma Vep with Oscar-winning actress Alicia Vikander attached for the leading role. The miniseries will also be directed and written by the French filmmaker.
“I have been a long-time admirer of Olivier and his work,” Vikander said in a statement (via Deadline).“I am very excited for us to work together, and to be a part of the expanded universe of his superb cult classic, Irma Vep. There are a lot of brilliant people coming together and I am delighted to be partnering with HBO and A24 on this special project.”
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The Irma Vep miniseries will be set against the backdrop of a lurid crime thriller where it will center around an American movie star named Mira as she struggles as the distinctions between herself and the character she plays begin to blur and merge. Vikander will be taking on the role Mira, a movie star who is disillusioned by her career and a recent breakup, who moves to France to star as Irma Vep in a remake of the French silent film classic, Les Vampires.
“I am immensely grateful to Alicia, A24, and HBO for giving me the incredible opportunity to explore and expand Irma Vep in a series format,” Assayas said. “This is a comedy that will try and catch the zeitgeist the same way the original Irma Vep did, in a very different world, a very different era, that right now feels light years away.”
The original film starred Hong Kong actress Maggie Cheung and Jean-Pierre Léaud with Cheung portraying as herself. It had premiered at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival and had earned positive reviews from critics.
Pick up a copy of the original Irma Vep here!
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The Irma Vep series will be executive produced by Assayas and Vikander along with Euphoria‘s A24, Sam Levinson and Kevin Turen. Ashley Levinson and Stuart Manashil have also been set as executive producers.
This marks Vikander’s first major TV project after starring in acclaimed films such as Pure, A Royal Affair, Anna Karenina, Ex Machina, and The Danish Girl with the latter earning her an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. She will next be seen in Justin Chon’s Blue Bayou and David Lowery’s The Green Knight.
