Dark and compelling thriller Devils is on its way to UK screens on Sky Atlantic very soon.
The drama, starring Patrick Dempsey and following intrigue and scandal at a global investment bank, is full of twists, turns, dastardly back-stabbing, dodgy deals and suspicious deaths.
Here’s everything we know about Devils…
Devils release date on Sky Atlantic
Devils will begin on Wednesday February 17 on Sky Atlantic at 9pm. All 10 episodes will be available on Sky Box Sets and Now TV from the same date.
What is Devils about?
The series, based on Italian banker Guido Maria Brera’s 2014 novel, centres on the London branch of the New York London (NYL) bank, run by charismatic CEO Dominic Morgan, played by Patrick Dempsey.
Dominic has become a mentor to Italian-born Head of Trading Massimo Ruggero (Alessandro Borghi), who is all set for promotion to vice CEO. But a scandal involving Massimo’s estranged wife scuppers his chances and Dominic withdraws his support. Then, after a shocking death suddenly occurs, Massimo finds himself at the heart of dark conspiracy and doesn’t know who he can trust as he tries to find out more about Dominic’s actions and motivations…
“I don’t see Dominic as evil, you can’t play a character that way. I think he is a fascinating character because it is all about control and keeping chaos away. What we are seeing and dealing with in the world right now makes more sense than ever with the belief system he plays into,” says Dempsey.
“Dominic’s son has died and he has now projected all those feelings onto Massimo. There is a real love and respect there but I think there is also a sense of betrayal that is hard for them to deal with and very painful. Massimo has been really important for the success of the bank and he is a means to an end in many ways so Dominic has to cultivate and nurture that relationship…”
Who stars in Devils?
Alongside Dempsey and Borghi, Dolittle’s Kasia Smutniak plays Dominic’s enigmatic wife Nina, who has struggled to come to terms with the death of their son in Afghanistan and Blade Runner 2049’s Sallie Harmsen plays Massimo’s wife Carrie.
Soulmates' Laia Costa is Argentinian "hacktivist’" Sofia Flores, who is determined to bring down the bank, after blaming it for her brother’s suicide, and House of Cards' Lars Mikkelsen is fugitive Daniel Duval, the leader of a disruptive counter-information platform who has mentored Sofia.
Small Axe’s Malachi Kirby plays Oliver Harris, a young economics student who Massimo recruits to help him uncover more information, and The Dig's Ken Stott is Oliver’s professor Phillip Wade, who once taught Massimo. The Crown's Ben Miles is Edward Stuart, Massimo’s stuffy rival for promotion.
It’s a far cry from Grey’s Anatomy!
For Dempsey, who won hearts as Grey’s Anatomy’s dedicated but ill-fated surgeon McDreamy, the chance to step out of his comfort zone was one he jumped at.
“It’s completely different tonally and certainly the emotion of it is a departure from McDreamy, which was the intention, you want to try something different. It was nice because I was nervous before starting production and that is always a good sign, it means you are doing something new,” says Dempsey, who visited a real-life bank as part of his research.
“Guido showed us the different aspects of the bank he worked at to see how the systems and procedures work,” he says. “We got a sense of the feeling and energy on the floor. What’s impressive is that it never stops. Economies go on 24/7 around the world and you have to be on top of that. No wonder there’s so much burn out because of the pressure they’re under. I didn’t understand the level of work and commitment. It was fascinating.”
Is there a trailer?
Yes, the teaser follows the action on the floor at NYL investment bank as Dominic tells Massimo how proud of him he is and how his protégé deserves his success, which Massimo smilingly denies. But we also see shots of money changing hands and deals being made, shots being fired and someone falling through the air. The trailer concludes mysteriously with Dominic vowing to Massimo, “I’m not your enemy” before kissing him on the cheek…
