Translating a blockbuster film series into a bingeable television show is no easy feat, but the Has Fallen universe has successfully made that jump.
Starting with Olympus Has Fallen in 2013, the Has Fallen universe has expanded into a trilogy of blockbuster espionage films, with Gerard Butler playing US Secret Service agent Mike Banning in each, who is tasked with protecting the President against a range of high-stakes threats. Olympus Has Fallen, London Has Fallen, and Angel Has Fallen became known for their over-the-top 1980s-1990s action-spy caper vibe, with enough sensational set pieces and Hollywood supporting stars to earn the franchise over half a billion at the box office worldwide.
After a fourth film installment starring Butler hit the brakes, the Has Fallen franchise has since moved to television, launching a more modest but nevertheless action-packed continuation of the franchise with Paris Has Fallen in 2024. Rather than continuing the story of the films with the same characters, Paris Has Fallen is a spin-off with almost zero ties to the flagship franchise – but with the same sensibilities. Butler remains behind the scenes on the project, producing through his GBASE production company, while Howard Overman (The Umbrella Academy) oversees the series as creator and showrunner.
While it’s tough for a TV series to compete with a blockbuster movie budget, Paris Has Fallen, and its new second season, Apollo Has Fallen, have enough high-stakes espionage action, intriguing enemies, and thrilling twists and turns to satisfy fans of the original.
Paris Has Fallen introduced audiences to the Has Fallen franchise’s new leads, protection officer Vincent Taleb (Tewfik Jallab) and MI6 agent Zara Taylor (Ritu Arya), a formidable, unlikely duo thrown together in a race to stop a dangerous enemy with plans that threatened the entirety of Paris. Jallab’s Vincent fulfills the stoic, hardened protector-type, while Arya, as Zara, is charismatic, kick-ass, and capable. Together, they create a winning partnership with natural easy chemistry, although their personal lives often take a back seat to the more pressing plot dramas at hand. Apollo Has Fallen makes an interesting decision early on to separate its leads, allowing Arya and Jallab to each hold court in their own stories as they piece together clues towards the season’s central mystery.
In Apollo Has Fallen, Vincent and Zara are back with a mostly fresh cast of supporting stars. Where the Has Fallen series was well known for its supporting stars, including Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, and Angela Bassett, the TV rendition may not have Hollywood’s A-list at its disposal, but still manages to wrangle its share of noteworthy talent, including Doctor Who’s Arthur Darvill and Game of Thrones’ Richard Dormer. Where Sean Harris’ Jacob Pearce stole the show in Paris Has Fallen, emerging as one of the franchise’s most compelling villains, the second season introduces Jacek Koman as Yuri Mishkin, the head of the Volkov mercenary group in Libya who hijacks a commercial plane to enact a dangerous bid for power.
Season 1 dealt with one man’s mission for vengeance that threatens to derail the country. Season 2 follows a mercenary’s calculated bid for power, leaning hard into the world’s recent experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic and exploring what might happen if someone opted to turn a virus into a weapon. But Volkov’s plans aren’t the only problem Apollo Has Fallen introduces, as at the same time, there’s plenty of trouble in the office, as Zara unravels a conspiracy threatening to unravel within the walls of MI6.
As with prior installments in the franchise, Apollo Has Fallen is a globetrotting action thriller, with filming locations across Malta, the UK, and Spain. Even without the seemingly endless explosions budget of the film trilogy, Apollo Has Fallen manages to feel like bang for its buck, consistently weaving in high-octane car chases, gunfights, and back-alley sprints alongside its share of cat-and-mouse office drama. While the jump from TV may have forced the Has Fallen’s 2-hour blockbuster formula to evolve into an eight-episode format, the series manages to maintain its movie-theatre ambition.
While the Has Fallen series is an ambitious attempt, it is clearly working, as Apollo Has Fallen will not be the last TV installment. StudioCanal recently announced a third season in the Has Fallen TV universe, with Jallab and Arya confirmed to return as Zara and Vincent in Shadow Has Fallen. The next installment will take the action to southern Africa, with new cast members Iwan Rheon, Brendan Coyle, and Atandwa Kani joining the fray. After dealing with militant and virus threats, Shadow Has Fallen will shake up the plot again by focusing on a whistleblower in possession of a dangerous cyber weapon.
As the Has Fallen continues to lie dormant on the movie side, Apollo Has Fallen should scratch the itch of any espionage fans who enjoy a twist-filled conspiracy caper with adrenaline-fuelled action spikes, and it’s one that stands equal among other movie-to-TV franchise jumps like Jack Ryan and Reacher.
Apollo Has Fallen is now streaming at SBS On Demand.
Episodes air weekly at SBS starting Wednesday 16 September at 9.30pm.
The first season in the series, Paris Has Fallen, is now streaming at SBS On Demand.
