‘The Secret of Secrets’: Netflix’s New Dan Brown Series Begins Filming With First-Look Photos

Robert Langdon has been solving codes and racing against the clock on the big screen for nearly two decades, ever since Tom Hanks first stepped into the symbologist’s tweed jacket for ‘The Da Vinci Code.’ That film, along with its sequels ‘Angels & Demons’ and ‘Inferno,’ turned Dan Brown’s puzzle-solving Harvard professor into one of the most recognizable characters in modern thriller fiction.

Brown’s novels have sold more than 250 million copies across 56 languages, a reach that has made Langdon’s adventures a near-guaranteed audience draw whenever a new installment gets adapted. With the character’s sixth outing now heading to the small screen, fans have spent months speculating about who could possibly follow in Hanks’ footsteps.

That wait is officially over. Netflix has begun production in Prague on its television adaptation of ‘The Secret of Secrets,’ with Morgan Spector stepping into the role of Robert Langdon and Rebecca Hall joining him as Katherine Solomon, and the streamer has released first-look photos to mark the milestone.

Spector, best known for playing railroad tycoon George Russell on HBO’s ‘The Gilded Age,’ takes over a character Netflix describes as a world-renowned symbologist with an eidetic memory whose puzzle-solving abilities keep pulling him into mysteries involving science, history and spirituality. Hall, whose credits include ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’ and FX’s ‘The Beauty,’ plays Katherine Solomon, a noetic scientist and Langdon’s girlfriend in the story.

The show’s regular cast also includes Cherry Jones as Heide Nagel, Corey Stoll as Everett Finch, Rob Delaney as Jonas Faukman and Abbey Lee as Sasha Vesna. Netflix has since added Mamadou Athie in a recurring role as Michael Harris and Ben Levi Ross as Alex Conan, with Anamaria Marinca and Richard Sammel also joining the expanding ensemble.

Carlton Cuse, known for his work on ‘Lost’ and ‘Locke & Key,’ is co-creating the series alongside Brown himself, with Cuse serving as showrunner, writer and executive producer. Speaking about the project, Cuse said, “The chance to work with Dan Brown to bring Robert Langdon into a new chapter on screen is a genuine thrill,” a sentiment he shared in comments published on Netflix’s Tudum.

Published by Doubleday in September of last year, ‘The Secret of Secrets’ follows Langdon as he races against ancient forces and time to rescue Katherine Solomon after she goes missing, along with the groundbreaking manuscript she was working on. According to the official synopsis, that manuscript contains discoveries with the power to forever change humanity’s understanding of the mind.

The series is billed as blending futuristic science with the kind of mystical lore and international intrigue that has defined the Langdon franchise since ‘The Da Vinci Code’ first hit shelves. It marks the sixth entry in Brown’s Langdon book series, following ‘Angels & Demons,’ ‘The Da Vinci Code,’ ‘The Lost Symbol’ and ‘Origin.’

For Spector, the role represents a notable career expansion, though it won’t pull him away from his HBO commitments. Reports earlier this year indicated he’d be able to balance both ‘The Gilded Age’ and the Langdon series with proper scheduling, should HBO’s period drama continue beyond its current run.

The Secret of Secrets marks something of a reunion for both leads with Netflix. Spector previously appeared on the streamer in the limited series ‘Black Rabbit,’ while Hall has past credits on the platform including the film ‘Passing.’ Now, with cameras officially rolling in Prague, fans of Brown’s puzzle-heavy thrillers finally have a concrete sign that Langdon’s next chapter is well underway.

Netflix has not yet announced a release date or premiere window for the currently untitled series, though the start of production suggests momentum is building behind the scenes. Given the built-in audience for anything carrying the Dan Brown name, expectations are already running high for how this new small-screen take on Langdon’s world will turn out.

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