Andrew Scott Ditches ‘Fleabag’ for New ‘Talented Mr. Ripley’ TV Series

We’re still disappointed that Phoebe Waller-Bridge isn’t developing another season of Fleabag, but it appears Andrew Scott (the priest) is already moving onto bigger and better things.

The 42-year-old actor is set to star as Tom Ripley in Showtime’s upcoming series Ripley, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The TV show will be based on The Talented Mr. Ripley book series by Patricia Highsmith, which introduces readers to the young underachiever.

The Talented Mr. Ripley was first adapted for the big screen in 1999 and starred Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow and Cate Blanchett. Similar to the original movie, the Showtime series will take place in the ’60s in New York and follow the titular character as he travels to Italy to retrieve a spoiled playboy.

The new Ripley show will consist of eight episodes. It will be written and directed by filmmaker Steven Zaillian (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo).

Scott is widely known for playing the priest in season two of Fleabag. (Fans have since dubbed his character “Hot Priest.”) The Amazon series recently won a slew of awards at the 71st annual Emmys.

Waller-Bridge even credited the actor during her acceptance speech for Outstanding Comedy Series, saying, “Season two would not have exploded in the way that it did had it not been for Andrew Scott, who came into our Fleabag world like a whirlwind and gave a performance of such depth and complexity that just elevated the whole thing.”

The Hot Priest lives on.