Bill Nighy will take David Bowie's role in the Man Who Fell To Earth reboot

4 February 2022, 14:03

The Love Actually star will take on the part of Thomas Jerome Newton in the forthcoming TV series.

Bill Nighy has been cast in the title role of the forthcoming reboot of The Man Who Fell To Earth.

Variety reports that the star of Love Actually, Still Crazy and Shaun Of The Dead will take on the part of Thomas Jerome Newton, which was played by David Bowie in the 1975 film.

Also starring in the adaptation of William Tevis's novel for the Showtime network are Chiwetel Ejiofor, Naomie Harris, Sonya Cassidy, Rob Delaney, Kate Mulgrew, Annelle Olaleye, Clarke Peters, Joana Ribeiro and Jimmi Simpson.

Ejiofor will play a new alien character called Faraday, who is summoned to Earth by Newton to complete his original mission, which had begun 40 years earlier.

“I was honoured to be invited to play the part of Thomas Jerome Newton that glorious David Bowie made so famous,” said Nighy. “I was keen to work with Chiwetel and Naomie again.

"I think the story is terrific and brilliantly expressed. I am an enthusiast for shows which extrapolate from current technology and give us plausible glimpses of a possible near future. It’s an important story which, as well as being highly entertaining, discusses the crucial issues of our time.

In the 1976 film, the Newton character arrives on Earth when his own planet experiences a terrible drought. To build a craft that can transport water to his people - including his own family - Newton makes millions from new electronic inventions, but his secret is soon discovered by unscrupulous businessmen.

The movie was Bowie's first starring film role.