Javier Bardem to Star in Drama Series ‘The Spread’ at HBO From Bill Dubuque, Sean Sansiveri

In a highly-competitive situation, HBO has given out a straight-to-series order for the drama “The Spread” with Javier Bardem attached to star and executive produce, Variety has confirmed.

The project hails from writers Bill Dubuque And Sean Sansiveri, who also executive produce alongside Bardem. This will be Sansiveri’s first credited TV writing role. Matthew Vaughn will direct and executive produce. Brad Weston executive produces for Makeready, with Ian Stratford and Michael Bloom of Topic Studios also executive producing. The series is a co-production between HBO and Fifth Season TV Studio.

The logline states, “Miami is turning paradise into power — Wall Street South — a subtropical collision of industry titans, elite hedge funds, staggering wealth, ruthless competition, sex, nightlife and fun on an industrial scale. Into this sun-soaked arena comes a visionary billionaire (Bardem) who collects the brilliant, the hungry and the dangerous, then turns their ambitions loose on the markets that power America. He chases something bigger: the power to shift the center of economic gravity to Miami — and decide how long the party lasts.”

“Having long wanted to set a scripted series in Florida, HBO couldn’t be more excited to explore the gilded chaos of Miami and bring it to life with this kaleidoscope of extraordinary, visionary talent who is as fearless as the story itself,” said Francesca Orsi, executive vice president of HBO Programming and head of HBO Drama Series and Films.

This marks the latest major series role for Bardem in recent years. He is fresh off the Apple TV adaptation of “Cape Fear,” in which he played the villainous Max Cady. He also recently starred in “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” at Netflix as Jose Menendez. He is primarily known for his film roles, which include his Oscar-winning turn in “No Country for Old Men,” as well as celebrated performances in films like the “Dune” franchise, “Being the Ricardos,” “Biutiful,” and “Before Night Falls.”

He is repped by WME and Goodman Genow.

Dubuque is best known as the co-creator of the hit Netflix series “Ozark,” for which he shared in the show’s three Emmy nominations for outstanding drama series. He most recently created the crime drama “M.I.A” at Peacock, which is also set in South Florida, and executive produced the Netflix limited series “His & Hers,” which was also Fifth Season production. He is also known for writing films like “The Accountant” starring Ben Affleck and its sequel as well as “The Judge” starring Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall.

He is repped by WME. Sansiveri is repped by CAA.

“‘The Spread’ is a gripping story of power and ambition, set against the vivid, glamorous backdrop of Miami,” said Noah Greenshner, executive vice president and head of TV Creative for Fifth Season. “We’ve brought together an exceptional creative team to capture the energy of this world and city, and we’re thrilled to be working alongside them and our partners at HBO, Makeready, and Topic to bring it to life.”