Netflix and AMC are making a series together for the first time, and Shane Black is leading the opening episodes. Bannerman is a spy drama based on John Maxim’s novels about Paul Bannerman, a former covert operative who wants a quiet life in suburban Connecticut. That plan breaks down when his old work pulls him back in. The companies have not announced a cast or premiere date.
What is Bannerman about?
Paul Bannerman is trying to leave espionage behind and settle into ordinary life. The current announcement describes him as a lethal operative who persuades other assassins to give up the business and move toward suburban life in Connecticut. His own attempt at retirement does not last, putting domestic routines beside the danger he thought he had escaped.
The television series is based on Maxim’s five-book spy series, but the announcement does not identify a specific novel as the first season’s source. It also does not name the enemies or government pressure that bring Bannerman back into action. Those details will have to wait for casting news, a synopsis, or a trailer.
Who is making the series?
Shane Black co-wrote the first episode and will direct the first two. Black has directed Iron Man 3 and The Nice Guys, but Bannerman puts him in charge of the opening chapters of an ongoing television drama rather than a feature film. His early involvement gives the series a clear creative starting point, while the long-term work belongs to its showrunner.
Craig Silverstein is Bannerman’s creator, showrunner, writer, and executive producer. Greg Nicotero and Brian Witten are also executive producers. Nicotero has a long production relationship with AMC through The Walking Dead and Creepshow, while the announcement does not yet give Witten a separate creative role beyond producing.
