Swimming With Sharks Reboot, Starring Diane Kruger & Kiernan Shipka, Gets Roku Premiere Date
If stories about Hollywood have taught us anything, it's that Tinseltown has a dark side. Movies from "Sunset Boulevard" to "Once Upon A Time in Hollywood" have proven that the glitz and glamour aren't all they seem, but we can't help returning for more behind-the-scenes peeks. If the allure of Hollywood stories still calls out to you, yet another dark drama is stepping up to unpack the industry's darkness. "Swimming with Sharks" is an adaptation of George Huang's 1994 film of the same name, telling the story of a Hollywood assistant who turns the tables on an abusive boss.
If this sounds familiar, you may recognize the premise from Quibi's lineup, back before the short-form video service met its tragic demise. Roku ended up acquiring Quibi's programming and rebranded each series as a Roku original. "Swimming with Sharks" is the latest title to get its Roku debut, but instead of running with ten-minute-long episodes, the show has been adapted into six 30-minute episodes. The series stars Diane Kruger ("Inglorious Basterds," "The 355") and Kiernan Shipka (of "Mad Men" and "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" fame). Per Roku, here's the synopsis:
When Lou Simms (Shipka) starts her internship at Fountain Pictures she seems like a naïve Hollywood newcomer, awestruck by the studio's notorious CEO, Joyce Holt (Kruger). In truth, Lou has done extensive research on Joyce and landing this internship was no happy accident. As Lou's obsession grows, she will do anything to get close to her idol.
"Swimming with Sharks" is set to arrive in April and, as a Roku Original, will air exclusively on The Roku Channel in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
Kiernan Shipka's Descent Into Darkness
From the sound of its premise, "Swimming with Sharks" cuts into the underbelly of Hollywood to explore dark ambition with a twist on Huang's 1994 film: This time, the story is a female-driven narrative. Creator and showrunner Kathleen Robertson was very interested in the idea of reinvention while reworking the story into a series. Robertson said in a statement:
"Historically, Hollywood has always represented reinvention, rebirth. Starting over. There has never been a better time to embrace that. My goal was to subvert this story and come at if from a place of both wonder and corruption, through the eyes of two complex female perspectives. Their performances are quite extraordinary. Nobody will ever see Kiernan Shipka as "Don Drapers daughter" ever again."
I invite anyone who still sees Kiernan Shipka as "Don Draper's daughter" to check out her role in Oz Perkins' "The Blackcoat's Daughter." Not only will you forget her time as Sally Draper, but you might also start to yearn for Sally's judgmental eye after a couple scenes of Shipka's Katherine creeping you the f*** out. Shipka showcased her talents early on with "Mad Men," but has since gone on to lead Netflix's 4-season Sabrina remake, "The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina." Hopefully "Swimming with Sharks" gives her more intriguing material to work with, especially since we know she's capable of terrifying levels of onscreen darkness.
"Swimming with Sharks" is written and showrun by Robertson and directed by Tucker Gates. The series also stars Donald Sutherland, Thomas Dekker, Finn Jones, Erica Alexander, Ross Butler, and Gerardo Celasco. Chris Cowles, Liz Destro, Stephen Israel, Jay Cohen, and Dana Brunetti served as executive producers.