Oscar winner Sissy Spacek and three-time Emmy-nominated Modern Family star Ed O’Neill are set as the leads in the sci-fi drama, Lightyears, currently in prep at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios.
Amazon has issued a series order for, Lightyears, an hourlong sci-fi-drama produced by Legendary TV, from writer Holden Miller and producer Daniel C. Connolly.
Connolly will serve as showrunner and executive producer, with Miller writing and co-exec producing.
Argentinian director Juan José Campanella will direct and executive produce the first two episodes of the series, a co-production of Amazon Studios and Legendary Television.
Principal photography is expected to begin on May 24.
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The sci-fi drama centers around Franklin (Ed O’Neill) and Irene York (Sissy Spacek), a couple who years ago discovered a chamber buried in their backyard which inexplicably leads to a strange, deserted planet. They’ve carefully guarded their secret ever since, but when an enigmatic young man enters their lives, the Yorks’ quiet existence is quickly upended, and the mysterious chamber they thought they knew so well turns out to be much more than they could ever have imagined.
This marks O’Neill’s return to TV following the end of Modern Family’s 11-season run last spring.
UPDATE: Lightyears was renamed Night Sky before it was released and Ed O’Neill was replaced by J.K. Simmons.
