‘Penny Dreadful’ Star Rory Kinnear Returning for Spinoff ‘City of Angels’

Last year, a spinoff of Showtime‘s Penny Dreadful series entitled Penny Dreadful: City of Angels was announced. The horror sequel, described as a “spiritual descendant” of the original series, will move from Victorian London to 1938 Los Angeles and at the time of the announcement did not have any of the original series’ cast members involved. That, however, has changed. Rory Kinnear has signed on to the series in a key role.

According to Deadline Kinnear, who played the Creature in the original Penny Dreadful series, will play Dr. Peter Craft. It’s a series regular role written for Kinnear by series creator John Logan. Dr. Craft is described as being a successful German pediatrician and the head of the German-American Bund, an organization he hopes will keep the United States isolated from the growing threat of war in Europe.

“It’s no secret that Rory is one of my favorite actors on the planet and working with him in the original series was inspiring,” said Logan. “So much so that I wrote this part for him, and I’m thrilled he’ll be joining us in the City of Angels.”

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels is set to begin in 1938 Los Angeles which was “deeply infused with social and political tension” at the time. The series will follow Detective Tiago Vega after a “grisly murder shocks the city.” They write that he will be “embroiled in an epic story that reflects the rich history of Los Angeles.” This includes the building of the city’s original freeways as well as its “deep traditions of Mexican-American folklore.” You can also expect the “dangerous espionage actions” of the Third Reich to come into play as well as the “rise of radio evangelism.” Vega and his family will be forced to face “powerful forces that threaten to tear them apart.”

In addition to Kinnear’s return, Natalie Dormer, Nathan Lane, Daniel Zovatto, Jonathan Nieves and Jessica Garza have all joined the cast. Nieves will play Mateo Vega, the volatile younger brother of Zovatto’s Vega. Garza will play Josefina, the youngest member of the Vega family.

“Penny Dreadful: City of Angels will have a social consciousness and historical awareness that we chose not to explore in the Penny Dreadful London storylines,” Logan explained in an earlier statement. “We will now be grappling with specific historical and real-world political, religious, social and racial issues. In 1938, Los Angeles was facing some hard questions about its future and its soul. Our characters must do the same. There are no easy answers. There are only powerful questions and arresting moral challenges. As always in the world of Penny Dreadful, there are no heroes or villains in this world, only protagonists and antagonists; complicated and conflicted characters living on the fulcrum of moral choice.”

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels does not yet have a release date. All three seasons of Penny Dreadful are currently streaming on Netflix.