Altered Carbon (TV series)

Altered Carbon
General information
Genre	Cyberpunk science fiction
Created by	Laeta Kalogridis
Based on	Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan
Written by	Laeta Kalogridis
Starring	Joel Kinnaman Renée Elise Goldsberry James Purefoy Martha Higareda Dichen Lachman Chris Conner Ato Essandoh Trieu Tran Anthony Mackie Dina Shihabi Torben Liebrecht
Production
Executive producer(s)	Laeta Kalogridis David Ellison Dana Goldberg Marcy Ross Steve Blackman Brad Fischer James Vanderbilt
Production company(ies)	Skydance Media Mythology Entertainment
Release
Original network	Netflix

Altered Carbon is a cyberpunk science-fiction television series created by Laeta Kalogridis, mainly based on the 2002 novel of the same name written by Richard K. Morgan, and, possibly, the entire book series. The first season aired in its entirety on Netflix on February 2, 2018. The series was renewed by Netflix for a second season on December 14, 2018. The show was cancelled on August 26, 2020.

Plot

In the future, people's consciousnesses are contained in what is called "stacks", storage devices attached to the back of a person's neck. Physical bodies are turned into what's called "sleeves", mere disposable vessels. Takeshi Kovacs (Joel Kinnaman), a violent mercenary, wakes up 250 years after his sleeve is killed, and he's given the choice to either spend the rest of his life in prison for his crimes or help solve the murder of the wealthiest man in the world.

Cast

Main

• Joel Kinnaman as Takeshi Kovacs (2384)
• Renée Elise Goldsberry as Quellcrist Falconer
• James Purefoy as Laurens Bancroft
• Kristin Lehman as Miriam Bancroft
• Martha Higareda as Kristin Ortega
• Dichen Lachman as Reileen Kawahara
• Will Yun Lee as Takeshi Kovacs (Prime and 2130)
• Hayley Law as Lizzie Elliot
• Chris Conner as Poe
• Ato Essandoh as Vernon Elliot
• Anthony Mackie as Takeshi Kovacs (2414)
• Trieu Tran as Mister Leung
• Simone Missick as Trepp
• Dina Shihabi as Annabel Lee
• Torben Liebrecht as Colonel Ivan Carrera

Recurring

• Marlene Forte as Alazne Ortega
• Byron Mann as Takeshi Kovacs (2134)
• Tamara Taylor as Oumou Prescott
• Adam Busch as Mickey
• Olga Fonda as Sarah
• Hiro Kanagawa as Captain Tanaka

Production

The series was first ordered by Netflix in January 2016, fifteen years after showrunner Laeta Kalogridis had originally optioned the novel with the intention of adapting it into a feature film. According to Kalogridis, the complex nature of the novel and its R-rated material meant that it was a tough sell for studios before Netflix ordered the series. Miguel Sapochnik directed the pilot episode.

On March 31, 2020, an official behind the scenes book, Altered Carbon: The Art and Making of the Series will be published. The book offers a behind the scenes look at both Season One and Season Two. The novel includes never-before-seen images, concept art, storyboards, and more.

It was cancelled on 26 August 2020. Despite the cancellation, the producers were looking for more distributors.

Release

The series premiered on Netflix on February 2, 2018. The official trailer was released on January 11, 2018.

Season Two was released three years later on February 27, 2020.

Viewership

Netflix does not release viewing data, and some have speculated that Altered Carbon averaged 1.2 million viewers after three days and 2.5 million after seven days, indicating modest viewership. However, these numbers are inaccurate, as they don't include Netflix's wide global audience, or mobile data.