Rory Kinnear joins the cast of Showtime’s Penny Dreadful: City of Angels

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Although Showtime's Penny Dreadful came to a conclusion after just three short seasons, the franchise is set to return from the dead in the form of Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, which creator John Logan has described as a "spiritual descendant" of the original series. Although City of Angels will revolve around a new cast of characters, there will still be a familiar face to Penny Dreadful fans as it's been announced that Rory Kinnear as joined the cast as a series regular.

Rory Kinnear, best known for playing Bill Tanner in QUANTUM OF SOLACE, SKYFALL, and SPECTRE, played the role of the Creature in the original Penny Dreadful series, but it seems that he won't be reprising that role for City of Angels. Kinnear will play Dr. Peter Craft, a successful German pediatrician and the head of the German-American Bund, an organization he hopes will keep the United States isolated from the growing threat of war in Europe. It's a role which creator John Logan wrote especially for Kinnear. "It's no secret that Rory is one of my favorite actors on the planet, and working with him in the original series was inspiring," Logan said. "So much so that I wrote this part for him, and I’m thrilled he’ll be joining us in the City of Angels." The upcoming spin-off will open in 1938 Los Angeles, a time and place deeply infused with social and political tension. When a grisly murder shocks the city, Detective Tiago Vega is embroiled in an epic story that reflects the rich history of Los Angeles: from the building of the city’s first freeways and its deep traditions of Mexican-American folklore, to the dangerous espionage actions of the Third Reich and the rise of radio evangelism. Before long, Tiago and his family are grappling with powerful forces that threaten to tear them apart.

"In 1938, Los Angeles was facing some hard questions about its future and its soul. Our characters must do the same," Logan has said. "There are no easy answers. There are only powerful questions and arresting moral challenges. As always in the world of Penny Dreadful, there are no heroes or villains in this world, only protagonists and antagonists; complicated and conflicted characters living on the fulcrum of moral choice." Along with Rory Kinnear, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels will star Daniel Zovatto (Here and Now) as LAPD detective Tiago Vega, Nathan Lane (Modern Family) as Lewis Michener, Tago's partner and a veteran of the department, and Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones) as Magda, a demon who can take on the appearance of anyone she chooses and will appear in the guise of several people throughout the story. As a big Penny Dreadful fan, I was sad to see the series end, but knowing that it will be back in a new form is quite exciting. Production on Penny Dreadful: City of Angels is expected to begin later this year.