James Cameron’s upcoming True Lies TV series has made its first major move in casting Shameless star Steve Howey in the Arnold Schwarzenegger role of Harry Tasker. Though Cameron wrote and directed the hit 1994 film, his involvement on the new CBS series is as producer only – hardly surprising, considering how much the Oscar-winning filmmaker currently has on his plate with his Avatar franchise.
For years, fans were desperate that a follow-up to the film, which starred Jamie Lee Curtis as Schwarzenegger’s onscreen wife Helen, would eventually materialize. But Cameron put these sorts of hopes to bed after admitting that he didn’t think a terrorist/bad guy film could work in the same way post 9/11, and his focus on other, bigger projects eventually made most people forget about True Lies. However, with its careful mix of humor, action, and star power, True Lies had plenty to offer, and had the film been made in today’s franchise-obsessed Hollywood, it’s hard to imagine numerous sequels not being churned out. Instead, what fans of the film are now getting is a TV series from CBS that hopes to replicate the fun and action of Cameron’s original blockbuster.
It might still be early days for CBS’ True Lies series, but one of the biggest steps has now been taken in casting the Harry Tasker role. According to AV Club, Shameless star Steve Howey has landed the role that Schwarzenegger made famous. Though Howey is well-versed in film and especially TV work, he’s arguably best known as Kevin Ball from Shameless, which ended its 11 season run in April of this year. No stranger to action-based programs, Howey also starred in the Emmy-winning SEAL Team.
When it comes to getting a TV adaptation of a hit film off the ground, casting can be one of the most crucial elements. Despite his film and TV background, Howey is far from a household name, but should True Lies find success, the show has the sort of potential to greatly increase his profile. What’s more, a successful TV adaptation of True Lies could provide the sort of incentive that’s needed to give a True Lies 2 a chance. So far, what’s known about the series is that it recreates the events of the film and doesn’t pick up on any sort of joint crime-fighting campaign involving Harry and Helen.
It will be interesting to see whether or not True Lies will be able to hold on in what has become a highly competitive TV landscape. The fact that CBS is in charge of the program is slightly concerning, as it faces a distinct disadvantage as a commercial network rather than a subscription based service. The difference in what a commercial network can show and what issues it can take on is considerably different than a streamer, and as such, the challenge to pull off a faithful and engaging spinoff is substantial. Nonetheless, with Cameron on board as a producer, the series definitely has a fighting chance at repeating some of the film’s glory.
Source: AV Club