5X Media Boards Paul Wesley-Led War Thriller

5X Media has boarded the Ukrainian war thriller Unspoken, starring and executive produced by Paul Wesley (Star Trek, The Vampire Diaries).

The limited series, which won the 2023 Series Mania competition, follows the harrowing journey of a soldier-turned-taxi driver in Poland. After he receives a desperate call from his wife in Kyiv on the day of the Russian invasion, he races against time and across borders to guide his family to safety.

Unspoken originated with Match & Spark. The series comes from writer and creator Filip Syczyński of Poland and co-writer Zhanna Ozirna of Ukraine. David Straiton (Narcos, Star Trek, Law & Order) is set to direct the co-production, bringing a personal dedication to the project after having made multiple volunteer trips to Ukraine to assist the International Legion.

The series is being filmed primarily in English, with some Ukrainian and Polish. Shooting is slated for Eastern Europe in the winter of 2025-26.

“In a world stricken by war, I’m passionate about bringing the human side of this conflict to life through the lens of one man and his family,” Wesley said. “I hope viewers connect with Paul’s struggle and take away something meaningful about life, values and resilience from his journey and a renewed understanding of the human spirit under pressure.”

“Our producing partners welcome Paul Wesley on board this passion project,” commented Anna Rozalska, co-founder of Match & Spark and the lead producer of Unspoken. “We’re thrilled to have 5X bring its impressive creative and sales skills to Unspoken and help deliver this great series to the world. With David Straiton lending both his directing vision and his experience on the ground in Ukraine, we have every element in place to bring this gripping and meaningful series to life.”

Limor Gott Ronen, partner and producer at 5X, added, “5X Media is thrilled to join such an incredible group of talent to tell this incredibly timely story. Unspoken captures a universal family story in a world of conflict, daring to take audiences deep into the personal toll of modern warfare—and stand as the first series of its kind to confront these themes within the context of the Ukrainian conflict.”