Outlander star Sam Heughan has landed a major new television role, joining Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis in Ascent, an upcoming thriller for Paramount+. The series will take viewers into the dangerous world of corporate crisis management, where powerful clients, ruthless operators, and deeply personal stakes collide.
Announced on October 22, 2026, the project will see Heughan star alongside Davis, who is also an executive producer on the series. Production is scheduled to begin in Los Angeles in 2027, with the show set to premiere globally and exclusively on Paramount+.
For Heughan, the new role marks another exciting addition to his television career following the conclusion of Outlander, which recently aired its eighth and final season.
Sam Heughan Will Play a Charming but Ruthless Agent
In Ascent, Heughan will portray Conal, one of Ascent Ventures’ top agents. Described as a lethally charming natural chameleon, Conal relies on social intelligence, cunning, and ruthlessness to accomplish his objectives. He also thrives on the thrill of completing a mission.
The character promises to give Heughan an opportunity to explore a different kind of role from Jamie Fraser, the honorable Highland warrior he played throughout Outlander. Conal operates in a world where adaptability and manipulation are essential tools, making him a potentially compelling presence in the series.
Although further details about Conal’s storyline have not yet been revealed in the announcement, his position among Ascent Ventures’ elite agents places him at the heart of the show’s high-stakes corporate environment.
Viola Davis Plays an Elite Corporate Fixer
Davis will star as Catriona, an elite corporate fixer whose career has been built on handling crises for billion-dollar clients. When her estranged daughter finds herself in danger, however, Catriona must turn the ruthless skills that made her indispensable in the corporate world toward a deeply personal fight.
The premise places family at the center of a thriller driven by power, secrets, and corporate damage control. Catriona’s professional expertise may make her an invaluable ally to the world’s wealthiest clients, but protecting her daughter will force her to confront a situation in which the stakes are far more personal.
With Davis leading the series and Heughan playing one of its top agents, Ascent brings together two performers known for commanding screen presences.
‘Ascent’ Comes From ‘Skyfall’ and ‘Gladiator’ Writer John Logan
Ascent is being produced by Paramount Television Studios and created by John Logan, the Tony Award winner and three-time Oscar nominee known for his work on Skyfall, Gladiator, Michael, and Penny Dreadful.
Logan will serve as showrunner and executive producer, working alongside Michael Aguilar, whose credits include Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, Kidding, and The Departed.
Davis and Julius Tennon will also executive-produce the series through their production company, JuVee Productions.
The creative team brings experience across thrillers, historical epics, and character-driven dramas. With its focus on corporate crises and a mother’s fight to protect her daughter, Ascent aims to combine a high-stakes professional setting with an intensely personal story.
The series will be available globally and exclusively on Paramount+, although an exact premiere date has not yet been announced. Filming is expected to begin in Los Angeles in 2027.
What’s Next for Sam Heughan After ‘Outlander’?
Heughan is best known internationally for playing Jamie Fraser in Outlander, a role that earned him BAFTA Scotland and Critics’ Choice Award nominations. The actor has also appeared in television projects including The Couple Next Door, Men in Kilts: A Road Trip with Sam and Graham, River City, Island at War, The Wild West, and Party Animals.
His upcoming projects also include the political thriller Embassy, in which he will appear alongside J.K. Simmons and Anna Kendrick.
On the big screen, Heughan has starred in Love Again with Priyanka Chopra and Céline Dion, The Spy Who Dumped Me with Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon, Bloodshot with Vin Diesel, and SAS: Red Notice with Ruby Rose and Andy Serkis.
Beyond screen acting, Heughan received strong reviews for playing the title role in Macbeth at the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2025. He is also a three-time New York Times bestselling author, the founder of the award-winning Sassenach spirits brand, and the creator of My Peak Challenge, a wellness initiative that encourages healthy living while raising money for charity.
With Outlander now complete and Ascent preparing to enter production, Heughan is moving into another chapter of his career. His role as Conal offers a chance to take on a character operating in a very different world from Jamie Fraser, while his partnership with Viola Davis makes the new Paramount+ thriller one to watch.