“A MobLand and Rivals mash-up”: Army Of Shadows is Channel 4’s “terrific” new thriller with a “perfect” cast

It’s rare for us to see stars from our favourite shows in the same series, but Channel 4 have just answered all our prayers with terrific new thriller Army Of Shadows. The upcoming drama is a MobLand and Rivals mash-up, with a perfect cast starring Paddy Considine, who we’re used to seeing as a prolific London gangster in MobLand, and Alex Hassell, who we’re usually swooning over in Rivals as the Cotswolds’ biggest playboy – Rupert Campbell-Black.

However, we’re undoubtably going to see them (and other famous faces) in a different light in this new drama as they become embroiled in a dark dystopia. As for the premise, imagine if Great Britain was occupied by the USA. Would we start talking with American accents? Would our politeness and devout stoicism fade away? Well, Army Of Shadows is going to show us when it transports us to an underground uprising in an alternate post-war reimagining of an occupied Great Britain.

With filming underway, here’s everything you need to know about Army Of Shadows, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.

What is Army Of Shadows about?

Inspired by Jean-Pierre Melville’s 1969 film and Joseph Kessel’s seminal book of the same name, the new six-part series envisions how Great Britain would look if it were occupied by America – and how resistance would play out. The country looks normal but everything is slightly off – the flags are different to the familiar Union Jack, nobody says anything out loud, but everyone can feel the dark grip of censorship.

Berry, a former soldier, bravely starts building a secret resistance network, recruiting an unlikely team around him who refuse to look away anymore. Joining the underground mission is a soldier, a student, a radiographer, a journalist. It’s quite the ‘David and Goliath’ battle, as they face an entire state, a ruthless minister, and a highly adept intelligence officer called Jessie.

What’s more, it’s directed by Black Doves’ Lisa Gunning – so it’s set to be an absolutely thrilling ride. ‘Ronan Bennett has created a gripping, provocative and action-packed drama that feels both epic in scale and strikingly relevant. Army Of Shadows asks powerful questions about freedom, resistance and the choices people make when democracy is under threat,” Gwawr Lloyd, Interim Head of Drama, tells Channel 4.

Who’s in the cast of Army Of Shadows?

• Paddy Considine (House Of The Dragon, MobLand)
• America Ferrera (Barbie, The Lost Bus)
• Alex Hassell (Rivals, Wasteman)
• Kit Harington (Industry, Game Of Thrones)

How can I watch Army Of Shadows

With filming underway across Manchester, Liverpool, London and Paris, the series is set to premiere on Channel 4 – and we’ll keep you updated with the release date as it lands!

What other thrillers can I watch now?

If you fancy something similar but in the spying realm, we’d suggest Spies Of Terror. The thriller follows police intelligence and agents in the aftermath of the November 2015 Paris attacks as one of the biggest manhunts across Europe unfolds. All episodes of Spies Of Terror are available to watch now on ITVX. If you fancy something more domestic, we’d recommend this Channel 5 psychological thriller, Riptide, where Jo Joyner stars as Alison, a smitten newlywed in an idyllic beach home in Australia. One day, when her husband doesn’t return home from surfing, her life is torn apart at the seams and an explosive mystery unfolds. You can watch Riptide now on Channel 5.