USA Network's hacker drama has found its main guy.
Rami Malek (24, The Pacific) is the male lead in the one-hour drama pilot Mr. Robot, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The Universal Cable Productions project centers on a young programmer who suffers from a antisocial disorder and can only connect to people by hacking them.
Malek will play the young programmer, Elliot, described as a brilliant cyber security engineer by day and a vigilante hacker by night, who finds himself drawn to an underground anarchist group that launches cyber-attacks in an attempt to start a global revolution.
Sam Esmail (Comet) will pen the script and executive produce alongside Anonymous Content's Steve Golin (True Detective) and Chad Hamilton (Breakup at a Wedding).
The WME-repped Malek has appeared in Larry Crowne, The Master, Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Old Boy, Short Term 12 and Need for Speed, next returning to the Night in the Museum franchise in the upcoming third film. Over on the TV side, he played Snafu in The Pacific and had an arc on 24.
Mr. Robot joins CIA drama Stanistan starring Jennifer Carpenter and Carlton Cuse's alien drama Colony as pilots that will vie for series orders.
Email: Philiana.Ng@THR.com
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