Nighy steps in for David Bowie in the new adaptation of the sci-fi story, which premieres Sunday, April 24 on Showtime.
Chiwetel Ejiofor is ready for MCU fans to head back into the multiverse in the upcoming Dr. Strange 2!
With fans just a few weeks out from seeing what epic new adventures Marvel's Phase Four has in store, Ejiofor shared with ET's Will Marfuggi what viewers can expect from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, due out May 4.
"It’s pretty bonkers, and it’s going to be really exciting," shared the actor, who plays sorcerer Karl Mordo in the franchise. "It’s been a real joy to bring that team back together, and Sam [Raimi, director of the sequel] made me sort of the leader for this film, and, you know, I just think his work is so extraordinary and has been for so long. So it was very, very exciting, and I think people are really going to enjoy it."
Ejiofor and Naomie Harris sat down with ET to discuss their new Showtime series, The Man Who Fell to Earth, a sci-fi story inspired by the Walter Tevis novel of the same name, as well as the iconic 1976 film adaptation starring David Bowie.
"It’s a sequel, and it's very different from the film," Harris explained. "It's set 45 years after the film ends, so it’s very, very different, but it was great to take some of the themes from the film and expand on those further."
"It's just so iconic," Ejiofor said of the Bowie film. "Every frame is amazing, and you can’t quite rip your eyes away from it, you know? And to think that was one of his earlier performances, it’s just amazing, you know, it's kind of the power he has."
In the new Showtime series, which premieres Sunday, April 24 at 10 p.m. PT/ET, Ejiofor is the titular alien, who arrives on Earth at a pivotal moment for humanity, and Harris plays Justin Falls, a scientist and engineer who must conquer her own demons in the race to save two worlds. However, Bowie's character from the 1976 film, Thomas Jerome Newton, does appear as part of the story -- played this time around by the legendary Bill Nighy.
"I was so excited," Harris said of reuniting with the acclaimed actor. "I just absolutely love Bill Nighy, he’s absolutely incredible and I haven’t worked with him since we did Pirates of the Caribbean, which was many, many years ago. He hasn’t changed a bit, he’s exactly the same. He’s so charismatic and energetic and a constant professional and just such a wonderful human being to act opposite. We just had the best time with him."
"I mean, I've known Bill for almost as long as I've been an actor," Ejiofor agreed. "We did a play together when I was in my early 20s, and of course we were in the cast for Love, Actually, and I've just known Bill for so many years now. He is an extraordinary actor, an extraordinary person, and the most kind and charming man in the world. So I think if anybody was going to, in any way, at any capacity, if anybody could fill David Bowie's shoes -- and those are extraordinarily difficult shoes to fill -- Bill Nighy is right up there. It would take a legend to continue the part of a legend, and that’s what we have right here."
The series also stars Jimmi Simpson, Rob Delaney, Sonya Cassidy, Joana Ribeiro, Annelle Olaleye, Kate Mulgrew, and Clarke Peters.
The Man Who Fell to Earth premieres Sunday, April 24 at 10 p.m. PT/ET on Showtime. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is in theaters May 4.
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