‘Bridgerton’ actor Rege-Jean Page cast in reboot of action franchise ‘The Saint’
Heart-throb will play the lead character, English adventurer Simon Templar
‘Bridgerton’ fans were shocked when Rege-Jean Page announced he wouldn’t return for the hit Netflix series’ second season. However, the heart-throb isn’t taking a break from the screen just yet.
Page will star as the lead in Paramount Pictures’ take on ‘The Saint’, which he will also executive produce.
‘The Saint’ will be based on the 1920s book series by Leslie Charteris, which follows globetrotting English adventurer Simon Templar — known as The Saint — who doubles up as a super sleuth detective.
The book series was turned into a 1960s British TV show starring Roger Moore, while a 1997 ‘Saint’ film featured Val Kilmer as Simon Templar.
Plot details for the new movie are under wraps, but Deadline quoted insiders as saying “this will be a completely new take that reimagines the character and world around him.”
Page had his big break as the handsome Duke of Hastings in the Shonda Rhimes-produced period drama ‘Bridgerton’, which was one of Netflix’s most-watched shows at the time. Many hearts were broken when it was announced that he would not be part of the second season, which will instead focus on a new couple — Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley).
“Pleasure and a privilege! An honour to be a member of the family — on and off screen, cast, crew and incredible fans — the love is real and will just keep growing,” he wrote, responding to a social media post on the ‘Bridgerton’ account announcing his departure.
Page has a number of projects in the pipeline, including Netflix film ‘The Gray Man’ alongside Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans, and a role in the ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ movie.