Alfie Allen is on the Run in Sky's 'Atomic'

It's been just over a year since Sky initially announced it was greenlighting the series Atomic, from Gangs of London producer Pulse Films. The series arrived with actors attached, with Alfie Allen, who had just shaken off his post-Game of Thrones slump with a starring turn in Season 1 of Rogue Heroes, headlining the series as the above-the-fold lead. Allen, who is the younger sibling of singer Lily Allen, is globally recognized thanks to his stint in Westeros, and while his Rogue Heroes turn is buried on MGM+, the hope was that his name would help get the series picked up in the U.S.

Unfortunately, no such luck. His co-star, Shazad Latif, was probably not widely recognized by Americans (at least among the non-Star Trek fans) when the show was first commissioned. Latif starred in the first two seasons of Star Trek: Discovery and Penny Dreadful, but Paramount unfortunately mismanaged both in the rush to streaming. 

That being said, in the meantime, Latif has significantly raised his profile in the critically adored Nautilus, which has been streaming on AMC+. Considering AMC Networks also streams Gangs of London, and Sky's sister network, Peacock has shown no interest in picking up Atomic, it may be the show's best hope for an American streaming home.

Check out the trailer to see why the show really needs to cross the pond.

Here's the series synopsis:

When the path of free-spirited drug smuggler Max collides with JJ, an enigmatic outsider on the run, an unlikely friendship is formed. They’re swept into a chaotic, high-stakes mission they never signed up for— trafficking highly enriched uranium across North Africa and the Middle East, with the CIA, MI6, and a global web of opposing forces closing in fast.

Leading the charge for the CIA is a highly skilled scientist and a Non-Official Cover (NOC) officer, Cassie Elliott. Convinced Max and JJ are in league with violent extremists, her relentless pursuit puts them all on a collision course, revealing that nothing is what it seems, and everyone has an ulterior motive. The pair finds themselves on a wild road trip, confronting covert operatives, an internationally funded cartel, and ultimately their pasts. What starts as a bid for survival slowly becomes something more: a reluctant partnership, a shot at redemption, and one hell of a ride.

Allen stars as Max and Latif as JJ; the two are joined by American actor Samira Wiley (The Handmaid's Tale) as Cassie Elliot, rounding out the leading roles. The supporting cast includes Brian Gleeson (Peaky Blinders), Stuart Martin (Miss Scarlet), Avital Lvova (The Tattooist of Auschwitz), Charlie Murphy (Happy Valley), Vahid Gold (Death Valley), and Venezuelan actor Franklin Virgüez (Simón).

The series was created by Gregory Burke (Rebus), inspired by the nonfiction book Atomic Bazaar by William Langewiesche. Burke penned all five episodes with the assistance of Ishy Din, Jiwon Lee, and Clare McQuillan. Director Shariff Korver (Black Tulip) helmed all installments, produced by Peter McAleese. Burke also executive produces with Thomas Benski, Sam Hoyle, Megan Spanjian for Sky Studios, and Jamie Hall & Judy Counihan for Pulse Films.

Atomic will launch in the U.K. on Thursday, August 28, 2025, on Sky. The series still lacks an American distributor.