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Sam Heughan Joins Viola Davis in ASCENT, Paramount+’s Corporate Thriller

John Logan created the upcoming series, with production scheduled to begin in Los Angeles in 2027.

By KazooWatch Newsroom
Editor, KazooWatch

Published October 24, 2026 · 12:38 PM EDT

Sam Heughan will star alongside Viola Davis in Ascent, a new Paramount+ thriller created by John Logan. Paramount announced the casting on October 22, with production scheduled to begin in Los Angeles in 2027.

Davis plays Catriona, a corporate fixer whose professional crisis-management skills become personal when her estranged daughter is in danger. Heughan plays Conal, an operative at Ascent Ventures who relies on charm and calculated ruthlessness. Logan will serve as showrunner, TVLine reports.

Sam Heughan, promotional profile image.

Credit: TMDB / promotional artwork
Promotional artwork
themoviedb.org

Rather than leaving corporate damage control in the background, Ascent puts the people paid to manage those crises at the center. The 2027 date concerns production, not an announced premiere; a release date has not been disclosed.

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