Keira Knightley showcases her action chops as a fierce protagonist in the official trailer for Netflix’s thriller Black Doves, released Wednesday. The series premieres on Dec. 5.
Marking a departure from her iconic period dramas (Atonement and Pride and Prejudice), Black Doves reintroduces Knightley as Helen Webb, a British agent balancing espionage with intense hand-to-hand combat.
In this role, Knightley fires weapons and engages in dramatic fight scenes as her character seeks revenge after the murder of her secret lover, risking her cover in the process.
“If you try to stop me, I will kill you myself,” Webb declares at one point in the trailer. Her character, who has been covertly passing her politician husband’s secrets to a clandestine organization called the Black Doves, turns to an ally (played by Ben Whishaw) to help uncover who assassinated her lover.
Their investigation pulls them into a tangled conspiracy that connects London’s shadowy underworld to an impending geopolitical crisis.
Set against a Christmas-time London backdrop, the thriller follows Webb and her companion, Young, as they confront the moral implications of their past choices.
The series was created and written by Joe Barton (Giri/Haji, The Lazarus Project), who also serves as an executive producer.
Black Doves boasts a cast that includes Luther Ford, Tracey Ullman, Kathryn Hunter, and Omari Douglas. Jane Featherstone, Chris Fry, and Knightley herself are executive producers, alongside producer Harry Munday. Direction for the series comes from Alex Gabassi (The Crown) and Lisa Gunning (The Power).
The trailer is set to new music by British artist Raye, who recorded a cover of Nancy Sinatra’s “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down),” which will feature throughout the first season.
In anticipation of its release, Netflix has already greenlit a second season of this spy thriller.
