Rachel Brosnahan, known for her work on Maisel, joins The Matrix star Laurence Fishburne in a new thriller directed by Slow Horses filmmaker James Hawes. The project also features Oscar winner Rami Malek, who will star opposite the duo in what is titled Amateur.
The story centers on a CIA cryptographer whose life is upended after his wife is killed in a terror attack in London. As grief collides with duty, he presses his superiors to identify the attackers and bring them to justice.
When the higher-ups fail to act, the weary protagonist takes a drastic step. He begins to leverage his access to demand control over the hunt himself, pushing the agency to train him and authorize a unilateral pursuit of the criminals.
Fans who followed the satirical spy world of Slow Horses can expect a tense, character-driven thriller that blends emotion with procedural intensity. For context on the director’s voice, readers can explore the satirical tone that defined Hawes’s earlier work, including his take on spycraft and institutional pressure.
The project expands the roster of notable crime-thriller talent. In addition to Brosnahan, Fishburne, and Malek, reports indicate Clive Owen and Daisy Ridley are attached to the production, adding further international appeal and star power. The film positions itself as a modern espionage drama with high-stakes action and morally gray choices at its core.
With London as a backdrop and a protagonist who navigates both heartbreak and institutional inertia, Amateur promises a relentless pace and a sharp examination of power and accountability. The collaboration between Hawes and this slate of acclaimed actors aims to deliver a contemporary thriller that resonates with audiences in North America and beyond, while staying grounded in human vulnerability and the ethical dilemmas faced by intelligence professionals.
As the production advances, industry observers are watching how the cast chemistry and Hawes’s directorial style will shape the film’s tone. The coupling of a driven CIA analyst with the pressure of real-world consequences offers fertile ground for suspense, smart dialogue, and dramatic confrontations that linger long after the final frame. The film’s premise underscores timeless questions about oversight, autonomy, and the costs of pursuing justice in a world where threats are rapid and unpredictable.
For cinephiles who enjoy nuanced spy stories, Amateur represents a compelling convergence of star power, director identity, and timely themes. The collaboration hints at a cinematic experience that values character arcs as much as adrenaline-fueled set pieces, inviting audiences to question how far a single agent should be allowed to go when the system seems to fail. In a landscape crowded with thrillers, this project aims to stand out through its emotional depth and moral complexity.