AN Outlander star is to play the lead role in a new adaptation of Ian Rankin’s Inspector Rebus novels.
Richard Rankin (who has no relation to the author) is best known for playing Roger Wakefield in Outlander.
He is set to take on the role of one of Scotland’s most iconic detectives in the series from Viaplay, with this marking the streamer’s first UK drama commission.
It will simply be titled Rebus.
The six-part series is set to start filming in Scotland next month and will stream on Viaplay in 2024.
News from the world of television! Gregory Burke’s scripts are *chef’s kiss* and I can’t wait to see Richard as Rebus… https://t.co/LOsX3i4cm1
— Ian Rankin (@Beathhigh) March 16, 2023
The Scottish actor, from Glasgow, said: “I’m thrilled to be taking on the role of Rebus. I’m a big fan of the series and Sir Ian Rankin.
“I feel very lucky to be given the honour of bringing such an iconic Scottish character back to TV screens and will give all I have to do it justice.”
The actor has the backing of Rebus’s creator, who said: “Rebus has been a big part of my life for a long time now and to work with Gregory Burke to create a new story that sees him navigate life as a younger man in a contemporary (and ever-changing) Scotland has been a truly fascinating process.
“I’m very much looking forward to watching Richard bring the character to life – he’s the perfect fit for the role, and not just because we coincidentally share the same surname.”
The new series follows a previous adaptation of the books which aired on ITV between 2000 and 2007.
The title role was first played by John Hannah, although he was then replaced by Ken Stott from season 2.
The official synopsis for the series reads: “The compelling new story follows 40-year-old police detective John Rebus (Richard Rankin), who finds himself at a psychological crossroads following an altercation with an infamous Edinburgh gangster.
“At odds with a job increasingly driven by corporate technocrats, involved in a toxic affair he knows he needs to end, and all but supplanted in his daughter’s life by his ex-wife’s wealthy new husband, Rebus begins to wonder if he still has a role to play – either as a family man or a police officer.
“In a world of divisive politics and national discord, does the law still have meaning, or is everyone reverting to an older set of rules? And if so, why shouldn’t Rebus do so too?”
