ITV Series: The Prisoner

Jim Caviezel and Ian McKellen star in the network’s reinvention of the 1960s classic cult thriller, The Prisoner. Caviezel takes the role of Number Six while McKellen appears throughout the series in the role of Number Two. ITV Studios has co-produced the six-part series with Granada International and AMC, the channel behind Mad Men.

In the 1960s, The Prisoner helped permanently alter the scope of the fantasy genre. Through the work of Patrick McGoohan – who created, produced, wrote and directed the series, and starred in the lead role of Number Six – The Prisoner is widely viewed as one of the most well regarded and intriguing cult TV series ever created.

While the original series, which debuted in 1967, was a riff on Cold War politics, ITV’s remake will reflect 21st century concerns and anxieties, such as liberty, security and surveillance, yet also showcase the same key elements of paranoia, tense action and socio-political commentary seen in McGoohan’s enigmatic original.

The six one-hour episodes tell the story of a man who finds himself trapped in a mysterious and surreal place known as The Village, with no memory of how he arrived there. As he frantically explores his environment, he discovers that its inhabitants are identified by number instead of by name and have no memory of a prior existence or outside civilization. Not knowing who to trust, Number Six is driven by the desperate need to discover the truth behind The Village, the reason for him being there, and more importantly, how he can survive and escape to his previous life.

The Village is controlled by one man – the sinister and charismatic Number Two. In each new episode Six and Two are locked in a battle of wits, as Six challenges the oppressive nature of The Village and battles against his captors. Six must find out what The Village is, but in doing so, he must also make sense of his life before he arrived there.

Jim Caviezel first received critical recognition for his role as idealist Private Witt in The Thin Red Line. The following year, he gained further recognition with roles in Ride with the Devil and Frequency. In 2001, his role as Jennifer Lopez’s love interest in Angel Eyes helped to establish him as a versatile actor and leading man. Caviezel was then chosen by Mel Gibson to star as Jesus Christ in the film The Passion of the Christ. The film went on to become one of the highest grossing movies of all-time and made Jim a household-name. Most recently Caviezel played against type when he co-starred opposite Denzel Washington in the thriller Déjà vu.

Ian McKellen is one of the world’s foremost stage and screen actors and has been honoured with more than 40 International awards. In 2002 he received critical acclaim and an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of “Gandalf” in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. McKellen’s work has spanned genres from Shakespearean and modern theatre to fantasy and sci-fi, with other major film credits including Gods and Monsters, X-Men, Richard III and The Da Vinci Code. Most recently he has undertaken the role of Estragon in Sean Mathias’ theatre production of Waiting for Godot.

The Prisoner also stars: Ruth Wilson (Small Island, Jane Eyre, Capturing Mary) in the role of Number 313; Hayley Atwell (Brideshead Revisited, Mansfield Park) as Number 41-5; Lennie James (Jericho, 24 Hour Party People) as Number 147; and Jamie Campbell-Bower (The Twightlight Saga: New Moon, Sweeney Todd, Rocknrolla) as Number 11-12.

As varied and exciting as the range of characters are, the look of The Prisoner is paramount to its appeal. The 1967 show was shot in the Port Merrion, an eccentric coastal resort town in Wales. Producer Trevor Hopkins says: “Port Merrion is great. It was what the original series was all about, in terms of making a statement about taking in sixties fashion and attitude. That had been done. We wanted to come up with an environment and space that was above and beyond The Village - you wouldn’t automatically know where you were. The aesthetic had to be a little strange. It is as much about The Village as the environment. We thought of the entire desert world in Namibia as a backdrop and while looking for this inherent strangeness we came upon Swakopmund. A town in a time warp – from the last century with a bit of the 50’s and 60’s placed on top of it.

ITV’s The Prisoner starring Jim Caviezel and Ian McKellan

The series were remade in 2009 but the classic series was very much of the 60’s.

Starring Jim Caviezel and Ian McKellan