The Assassin is a twisty Prime Video thriller series starring Keeley Hawes and Freddie Highmore as an estranged mother and son who are reunited in Greece where they are forced to run for their lives.
Inside the new issue of TV&Satellite Week (19-25 July), Keeley Hawes and Freddie Highmore chat about their new thriller The Assassin. Anna Friel stars in Jimmy McGovern’s harrowing drama Unforgivable and the BAFTA winning series Mr Bigstuff is back. The latest issue is available in the shops now or to subscribe and receive 6 issues for £1, simply scan the QR code
Bodyguard and The Durrells star Keeley plays Julie, a retired assassin who is now living a quiet life on a secluded Greek island. Her estranged son Edward (The Good Doctor's Freddie Highmore) visits from England with some difficult questions for his mother, but then her past catches up with them both and they are forced to flee the island and go on the run. And as they battle for survival, the pair are confronted by a dark conspiracy and a threat that will destroy their relationship forever.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Prime Video series The Assassin…
The Assassin release date
The Assassin is a six-part series launching on Prime Video in the UK from Friday 25 July 2025.
Outside of the UK, we have no word on when it'll release or where you'll be able to watch it.
Is there a trailer?
Yes a trailer for The Assassin has now been released so do take a look at all the intense action in Greece below...
The Assassin plot
Where do contract killers go to retire? In The Assassin, it’s a remote, sun-kissed Greek island. That’s where former gun-for-hire Julie (Keeley Hawes) is growing old disgracefully, as she lives out her days drinking, smoking and sunbathing in a picturesque village on the coast.
But when her grown-up son Edward, played by The Good Wife’s Freddie Highmore, arrives from England looking for answers about his father, and Julie is approached to come out of retirement for one last job, the dysfunctional duo find themselves on the run as events take a deadly and terrifying turn.
Edward has news to break, but can’t find the right moment to do it. However when Julie discovers she has become a target and the bullets start flying, the duo set off across Europe, with the son and daughter of billionaire Aaron Cross, (former Neighbours star Alan Dale) for company.
As the mother and son go on the run they uncover a dark conspiracy but then, out of the shadows, a greater danger emerges. As her past and present collide, Julie must fight to save her son and salvage their relationship.
The Assassin cast — Keeley Hawes on playing Julie
Keeley Hawes plays emotionally distant mother and former assassin, Julie, mother of Freddie Highmore's Edward.
Keeley says: "I have enjoyed every second of working with Freddie; I feel so lucky that we've been cast opposite each other. We initially met over Zoom and we hit it off straight away. We're very similar and have lots of the same interests and the same sense of humour. It's just so brilliant when that happens and you have chemistry with someone that you don't have to try, force or work at.
"The cast have been brilliant. I worked mostly with Freddie, Shalom, Devon and I have a lot of scenes with Gerald. We got on like a house on fire and it's genuinely been such a pleasure. They're all terrific actors as well as being lovely people and so professional, so I feel incredibly lucky as they are some of the nicest and best actors I've ever worked with.
"It was so lovely coming back to Greece to work! I previously did The Durrells for four series and we filmed that in Corfu, but because there’s no infrastructure there for filming, lots of the crew had come from Athens. Coming to Athens to shoot The Assassin has meant I’m back with a lot of those people I met in Corfu. There’s nothing better than walking onto a set on your first day, feeling nervous and apprehensive, to then be greeted by so many familiar friendly faces that I had spent a lot of time with over those four lovely years. It’s been a joy – everyone here is brilliant – it’s a world class crew! Greece also doubles so brilliantly for all the other countries we visit in the series, like Spain, the south of France and Albania.
"This series has the biggest stunt piece I’ve ever done. There’s an area in Athens called Plaka, and it’s absolutely beautiful – it feels like you’re on a small Greek island and not in the centre of Athens. There’s a big scene we shot there where I’m riding a motorcycle with Freddie on the back and we are being chased. We had a lot of fun doing that, on the back of a contraption with a bike attached – that was all really enjoyable."
* Keeley Hawes previously starred in Miss Austen, Bodyguard, Line of Duty, It’s a Sin, Honour, The Durrells, The Midwich Cuckoos and Finding Alice. She also had roles in Spooks, Ashes to Ashes and The Missing.
Freddie Highmore on playing Julie's son Edward
Freddie Highmore plays Julie’s estranged son, Edward in The Assassin.
Freddie says: "Edward is Julie’s son; he’s a young journalist and has been living in London which means he hasn’t seen his mum in a while, so they are rather estranged. He’s harbouring a lot of secrets and feelings that he’s repressing, so this is a big step for him to reach out and see her, which is where we find him at the start of the series – visiting Julie in Greece. He arrives attempting to reconnect with her, armed with a plethora of questions about his past, their relationship and who his father is, and things kick off in a very dramatic way! Edward is an overthinker and finds himself in the middle of incredibly crazy and high-octane situations and isn’t sure how to proceed. He also has a sly sense of humour that gradually comes out over time.
"Edward and Julie’s relationship is complicated and messy. On the surface, when we meet them at the start of the series it’s considerably strained as they haven’t spoken in a long time and there’s a lot of secrets they’re each carrying. There’s a tragic setup between the two of them and their dynamic – both are wanting to seek further connection and wanting to understand each other better and become closer to try and get back what they lost, whether that’s possible or not."
* As a child Freddie Highmore played Charlie Bucket in the 2005 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but is possibly best known for his role as Dr Shaun Murphy in The Good Doctor. Freddie has also starred in Bates Motel, Close to the Enemy, Leonardo and Finding Neverland.
Who else is starring?
The Assassin also stars Gina Gershon (Riverdale) as Marie, Gerald Kyd (The Split) as Luka, Shalom Brune-Franklin (The Tourist, Baby Reindeer) as Kayla, Devon Terrell (Totally Completely Fine) as Ezra, Alan Dale (Neighbours, Dynasty) as billionaire Aaron Cross, and Richard Dormer (Game of Thrones) as Damian, Jack Davenport (The Morning Show) as Sean and David Dencik (The Ipcress File) as Jasper.
The Assassin episode guide (some potential spoilers)
Here's a brief guide to each of the six episodes of The Assassin. Please do skip if you haven't seen the drama and want to avoid potential spoilers...
Episode 1
On an idyllic and beautifully remote Greek island, retired assassin Julie (Keeley Hawes) lives a solitary life. Hermitted away here for the last 10 years in an attempt to escape her dark past, her humble existence is interrupted when her son Edward (Freddie Highmore) arrives armed with questions around new information on his paternity. Edward battles to find the right time to speak to his frustratingly distant mother, but she manages to avoid the conversation at all costs. When the moment finally presents itself for Edward to confront her, things take a deadly turn, as Julie’s dangerous past finally catches up with her and they are forced to flee the island and go on the run together, testing their dysfunctional relationship to its limits.
Episode 2
Having escaped the island aboard a mega yacht with local islander Luka (Gerald Kydd), Julie and Edward find themselves forced into a whole new type of awkward family reunion as they must maintain a cover and keep Julie’s past hidden in the face of their new hosts – Kayla (Shalom Brune-Franklin) and her brother Ezra (Devon Terrell). Both are senior executives at their father’s mining company and, suspicious of this family just as her past catches up with her, Julie turns up the heat on the siblings in the most unconventional of ways. Julie’s cover is only complicated further when the surprise arrival of an old friend and fellow assassin, Sean (Jack Davenport), threatens to expose Julie’s past to the group. In Libya, the murky secrets of Kayla and Ezra’s father’s mining company have reared their head in the form of a disgruntled ex-employee Jasper (David Dencik) who threatens to expose the dark secrets dad Aaron Cross (Alan Dale) has been hiding. Back on the yacht, the quest for answers has become urgent and Julie and Edward set course for a new destination in search of old friends. Meanwhile, in London, we meet the mysterious Marie (Gina Gershon) who is telling stories of her own… where Edward is the main character…
Episode 3
Arriving in Albania, the unlikely group heads in search of Julie’s old handler, Damian, but Julie is distracted by her suspicions that Edward is hiding something from her. This is a bit run-on, can we revise to: A visit to Damian’s apartment only raises more questions, convincing Julie that in order to find out why she’s being hunted, she’ll have to track him down. At the Cross Family Mansion in the South of France, an elaborate gathering is underway when Marie arrives looking for answers of her own and finds an unlikely ally in Ezra. Meanwhile, his father, Aaron Cross, throws more resources at trying to track down escaped Dutch IT expert, Jasper, and protect his family's secret. Back in Albania, when Edward reveals a secret to Kayla, a wedge is driven between the group, but answers are close and they must press on as the danger and threat to their lives closes in.
Episode 4
A breakdown in communication amongst the group forces Julie and Edward to head for a safe house in Athens. Edward is handed what seems like a lifeline when Ezra and Jasper get in touch, with the latter claiming to have answers to Edward’s questions. At the Cross Family Mansion, Ezra takes steps to prove to his father that he has the ruthlessness necessary to one day lead the family business, but he starts to regret his actions. Across Europe, news breaks about the tragedy Julie and Edward witnessed on the island, and they become the targets of a police manhunt.
Episode 5
Edward’s plan to meet with a valuable ally takes a dark turn and Julie isn’t able to protect him. Marie’s timely arrival offers Edward information on his past and that he’s been so desperately craving, but at what cost? In France, Kayla discovers the family secret her father has been fighting to keep hidden and she must decide whether to reveal a truth that will have a lasting impact on their legacy. Luka and Julie reunite to find answers and search for Edward. The pieces finally start falling into place for Julie – does she know who might be responsible for the catastrophic trail of events?
Episode 6
A final showdown awaits Julie and Luka, who must cross the continent to confront the repercussions of Julie’s past actions head-on. Marie reveals shocking truths to Edward that make him question everything he thought he knew about his life. In France, the fallout of the Cross family secret leaves Kayla and Ezra with decisions to make that will have an impact far beyond themselves. It’s do or die for Julie, Edward, Marie and Luka as the dramatic conclusion could be far more tragic than anyone could have expected.
Behind the scenes and more on The Assassin
The Assassin is produced by Two Brother’s Pictures (The Tourist, Boat Story) n association with ZDF who is the German co-production partner, All3Media International, and Stan in Australia. The six-part drama is written by British writing duo Harry and Jack Williams.
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