Netflix has officially found its new Robert Langdon. Morgan Spector will succeed Tom Hanks as the famed Harvard symbologist in the upcoming adaptation of Dan Brown‘s The Secret of Secrets, with filming expected to begin in Prague later this year.
The announcement provides the clearest indication yet that the long-awaited Netflix series is moving into production. While Netflix has only confirmed Spector’s casting, multiple industry outlets continue to report that his real-life wife Rebecca Hall is expected to join him as female lead Katherine Solomon, though her involvement has yet to be officially announced. If confirmed, it would mark the couples first major on-screen collaboration; Spector previously had supporting roles in the Hall-led films Christine and Permission.
Morgan Spector takes over the Robert Langdon franchise
Netflix confirmed Spector’s casting in The Secret of Secrets this week, ending months of speculation over who would inherit one of modern thriller fiction’s best-known roles. The actor, best known for playing railroad tycoon George Russell in HBO’s The Gilded Age, becomes the third performer to portray Robert Langdon on screen, following Tom Hanks in the feature films and Ashley Zukerman in Peacock’s The Lost Symbol.
“Morgan is a truly wonderful actor whose work is always filled with intelligence, thoughtfulness, and humanity,” series co-creator and showrunner Carlton Cuse said in a statement released by Netflix. “He’s the perfect fit for Robert Langdon — a brilliant academic whose curiosity, intelligence, and intellect are the tools of his trade.”
Cuse also emphasized what attracted him to Brown’s latest novel, describing it as “a propulsive thriller set in a fantastic location: Prague.” He added that the story is “also a great love story, and a provocative exploration of human consciousness,” elements he believes are better suited to an eight-hour television series than a feature-length film.
Netflix says The Secret of Secrets will follow Langdon as he races against ancient forces and time to rescue a missing scientist and recover a manuscript whose discoveries could fundamentally change humanity’s understanding of the mind. Like Brown’s novel, the series blends cutting-edge science with historical mysteries and religious symbolism.
While Netflix has not announced additional cast members, Deadline continues to report that Rebecca Hall remains in line to play scientist Katherine Solomon, Langdon’s love interest and the novel’s central missing figure. Hall’s casting has not been confirmed by Netflix, and the streamer has declined to comment on those reports.
The project pairs Brown with Cuse, the Lost co-creator serving as showrunner, writer, and executive producer. Brown is also writing and executive producing alongside Emma Forman and Zoe Robyn.
Prague remains central to Netflix’s adaptation
The casting announcement comes as preparations continue for filming in Prague, where The Secret of Secrets is expected to shoot on location later this year. Unlike previous Robert Langdon adaptations, which largely used European cities as interchangeable backdrops, Brown’s latest novel is explicitly rooted in the Czech capital.
The story follows Langdon through recognizable Prague landmarks, including Old Town Square, the Klementinum, and other locations across the city’s historic center. Cuse’s description of Prague as a “fantastic location” reinforces expectations that the production will showcase the city as itself rather than doubling for another destination.
The series is expected to be one of the most significant international productions filming in Prague during 2026, joining the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters spinoff Birdwatcher, the John le Carré adaptation Legacy of Spies, season four of Foundation and Martin Scorsese’s What Happens at Night.
Prague has increasingly attracted major streaming productions following revisions to the Czech audiovisual incentive system, which raised the standard production rebate to 25% and expanded support for qualifying projects. Industry representatives have credited the changes with helping the country compete more effectively for high-budget international series.
For local crews and production companies, The Secret of Secrets represents another major project expected to generate significant spending across studios, locations, and post-production services. It also offers a rare opportunity for Prague to appear on screen under its own identity, rather than standing in for another European capital.
Published in 2025, The Secret of Secrets is Brown’s sixth Robert Langdon novel and the fastest to reach the screen, with Netflix ordering the adaptation before the book’s release. Brown’s novels have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide, while the previous Robert Langdon films collectively grossed more than $2.2 billion at the global box office.
With its leading man now officially in place and Prague filming expected to begin in the coming months, Netflix‘s adaptation appears to be entering its next phase. Attention will now turn to the remaining cast announcements—and to when cameras begin rolling in the Czech capital in the coming months.
Lead photo: Rebecca Hall and Morgan Spector at the 2017 Venice Film Festival courtesy DepositPhotos.com
