According to Deadline, John Cusack is set to star in Utopia, Amazon’s adaptation of the British series of the same name, which revolves around a group of young people who are “mercilessly hunted by a shadowy deep state organization” after they find a “near-mythical cult underground graphic novel.” The comic isn’t Alan Moore’s Miracleman or whatever, though, as it’s actually some kind of glimpse into terrifying conspiracy theories that may actually be real—though being hunted by a shadowy deep state organization is usually a hint that you’re on to something. Amazon’s series will be written by Gillian Flynn (of Gone Girl and Sharp Objects fame), following a troubled development that originally saw it being set up at HBO with David Fincher directing and Eric McCormack, Colm Feore, Jason Ritter, and Rooney Mara starring.
They’re all gone now that the project has moved over to Amazon, with the aforementioned Cusack set to appear alongside Rainn Wilson, Sasha Lane, and child actor Javon Walton. Deadline says Cusack will be a “charismatic and media-savvy” scientist who wants to “altruistically” save the world. (That means he’s either a secret a bad guy or an unwitting pawn for the bad guys.)