Daisy Ridley, best known for her role as Rey in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, is making her television debut as a lead in a new sci-fi series. The actress has signed on to star in and executive produce a reboot of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea for Paramount+, according to Deadline.
The project is based on the 1961 film and the classic ABC series that ran from 1964 to 1968, created by Irwin Allen. Ridley will play Lee Crane, a brilliant scientist who boards the USS Seaview, a retro-futuristic submarine that responds only to her commands. Her mission: investigate the mysterious death of her twin sister and uncover the secrets hidden beneath the ocean's surface.
This marks a significant shift for Ridley, who has mostly stuck to films since her breakout in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Before that, she had small roles in British TV shows like Mr. Selfridge, Casualty, and Toast of London. Her upcoming film slate includes Ebenezer, a Christmas Carol adaptation, the romantic comedy The Last Resort, and the action thriller The Good Samaritan. She was also attached to The Christie Affair, a drama about Agatha Christie's 1926 disappearance, but that project hasn't moved forward yet.
The reboot is being written by Akiva Goldsman, known for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and directed by Matt Shakman, who helmed Fantastic Four: First Steps. Legendary Television and the estate of Irwin Allen are producing. Goldsman has a history with Allen's work, having written the 1998 Lost in Space film. He's also developing reboots of Allen's Land of the Giants and The Time Tunnel.
For fans of Ridley's sci-fi roots, this series offers a fresh take on a beloved classic. The original Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea was known for its imaginative underwater adventures and ahead-of-its-time special effects. This new version promises to bring a modern sensibility while honoring the source material.
Ridley's involvement adds star power to Paramount+'s growing slate of genre programming. The streaming service has been expanding its original content, and this series could be a major draw for subscribers. While there's no release date yet, the project is in development, and fans can expect more updates soon.
In the meantime, Ridley's fans can catch her in upcoming films and revisit her Star Wars performances. The Voyage reboot is a bold move for the actress, showing her range beyond the galaxy far, far away.
