Tahar Rahim to Star in BBC-Netflix Thriller The Serpent

Tahar Rahim (The Looming Tower, A Prophet, The Eddy) has been cast as the lead in the new drama series The Serpent, a co-production between BBC One and Netflix.

The Serpent is based on the true story of how one of the most elusive criminals of the 20th century was caught and brought to trial. Rahim will star as Charles Sobhraj, a serial killer wanted in connection with the murders of up to 20 young Western travelers across India, Thailand and Nepal through 1975 and 1976.

Commissioned by BBC One, The Serpent will be produced by Mammoth Screen (Poldark, World on Fire). The eight-part limited series is written by Richard Warlow (Ripper Street) and Toby Finlay (Ripper Street) and directed by Tom Shankland (Les Miserables).

Rahim said: “I am thrilled to play Charles Sobhraj in The Serpent, a role I have dreamed of portraying since I read a book about him when I was seventeen years old. I couldn’t be happier than to make it under the direction of Tom Shankland and writers Richard Warlow and Toby Finlay.”

Preethi Mavahalli, executive producer at Mammoth Screen, said: “It is an absolute honor to have Tahar Rahim, one of France’s finest actors, join us in bringing this extraordinary story of the notorious French serial killer Charles Sobhraj to screen.”

Piers Wenger, controller of BBC drama, added: “We are delighted to have the brilliant Tahar Rahim play our leading man in The Serpent and for him to unravel Sobhraj’s dark web of deceit, crime and murder in this fascinating true story for BBC One.”

Brian Pearson, VP of content acquisition at Netflix, added: “We’re excited to grow our partnership with the BBC alongside Mammoth Screen and bring this gripping story led by the brilliant Tahar Rahim to our members around the world.”