Devils on Sky Atlantic: Plot, cast, filming locations and the latest on season 2

Ready to be gripped? Devils will show you that the financial world is about much more than money.

Starring Alessandro Borghi and Patrick Dempsey, this slick thriller is set in one of the world’s biggest investment banks.

The stars of the show told us why your preconceptions about global banking will be challenged as a scandal turns everything upside-down…

What is Devils about?

Devils is a financial drama based on the book of the same name by Italian financier and author Guido Maria Brera.

Massimo Ruggeri (Alessandro Borghi) is the head of trading at the New York London Investment Bank (NYL), one of the world’s biggest investment firms. He is hugely successful and seems odds-on to be promoted to vice-CEO – until a scandal involving his wife prompts his CEO and mentor, Dominic Morgan (Patrick Dempsey) to withdraw his support.

Massimo’s situation goes from bad to worse when he is the prime suspect over the sudden death of his rival, and he is forced to set about clearing his name.

Alessandro said the show’s script forced him to change his perception of the financial world and the people within it.

"I have destroyed a series of stereotypes that I was used to regarding the role of the banker," he explained.

"In all the films and series that I had watched, there is a canonical image of the finance world populated by cold and manipulative people, only focused on their own interests.

"That’s why I am convinced that through Devils and the attention provided to each character, we succeed in demonstrating that behind every type of mask there are human beings."

Who’s in the Devils cast?

Massimo Ruggero – Played by Alessandro Borghi

The son of a poor Italian fisherman, Massimo left the country and even sacrificed his wife to become the ruthless, quick-minded trader that he is.

When he is betrayed by his fatherly mentor Dominic Morgan, he starts a war against him – which will make him see that finance is more than money and he already has blood on his hands.

Alessandro said of Massimo: “While it’s very clear from the very first scene he is a shark at his job, his personality is not so easy to read. He is somehow afraid to let people in his life and be recognised for what he truly is, as this is something he perceives as a threat.

"He left Italy very young to pursue his aspirations but also to detach from his difficult past.

"Full of contradictions and monsters to fight, he is not built to be the common hero and we will be guided through the discovery of his character with him."

Dominic Morgan – Patrick Dempsey

CEO of NYL, Dominic comes from an upper middle-class family in the US and his wife Nina is the heiress of a noble family. He is a friend of ministers and government leaders, and one of the most powerful men in global finance.

He lost his son John in the Afghanistan war, and is fatherly towards his protégé Massimo.

“For Dominic it’s a real love; their relationship crosses professional boundaries. It’s a father-son relationship. So when Massimo lets him down it’s a real disappointment, as much as he’s capable of showing vulnerability,” said Patrick.

“There’s a deep love story between these two men and that’s what makes the betrayal so profound for both of them. One of the things about this series is who betrays who first, and why. Loyalty is key to all of this and the most fascinating aspect of Devils.”

Sofia Flores – Laia Costa

Sofia grew up as an orphan, and her brother killed himself after he lost his savings in the Argentinean financial crisis. She survived as a pickpocket before being discovered and trained by Duval, the leader of counter-info platform Subterranea, and became a hacker for them.

NYL caused her brother’s bank to fail so she seeks revenge on Dominic, though as she collaborates with Massimo her mission is put in jeopardy and she discovers he is hiding something about her past.

Laia revealed: “She’s a character who grows episode by episode and you get to know her little by little.

“She has a real mystery about her.”

Oliver Harris – Malachi Kirby

Oliver is skilled at hacking and reading people. He is brought into NYL after helping Massimo off the books, but the bank is an alien world having grown up in a poor suburban area. He quickly proves his value – but he is tempted to betray Massimo when Dominic tries getting him on his side.

Malachi explained: “He’s this lovely, charming guy, really intelligent. He’s studying at university and he gets this amazing opportunity that could change his life.

“At first he’s offered the chance to do this underhand work for a bank, treading the grey areas of the law. He sees it as a way out, and a step into a world he would otherwise have trouble accessing. It would make him lots of money to look after his partner and his brother.”

Nina Morgan – Kasia Smutniak

The death of Nina and Dominic’s son John has cast a shadow over their once-happy marriage. She hides her love for Massimo, but she will help Dominic in the most extreme ways.

Kasia said: "She’s probably the only person that understands Dominic and Massimo. It’s scary for her. She’s a person who is around the devil. She truly loves Dominic but she completely understands Massimo and when things fall apart with them, she finds it hard to be on the side of one or the other."

Paul McGinnan – Harry Michell

Paul is the first of the Pirates, Massimo’s trusted team. He has a party lifestyle that could lead him to betray Massimo and choose Dominic’s side.

Kalim Chowdhrey – Paul Chowdhry

Kalim works as an analyst for the team, with mathematical training and a sharp mind. His trust in Massimo’s intuition begins to waver as he gets more involved with his struggle with Dominic.

Eleanor Bourg – Pia Mecher

Eleanor is used to getting what she wants from people and doesn’t spare rookie Oliver her harsh treatment. Her role in the Pirates is to deal with outside relations, which isn’t strictly within the rules.

Daniel Duval – Lars Mikkelsen

Duval is the leader of Subterranea, the WikiLeaks of Devils' financial world. As a wanted person, he lives as a fugitive and has mysterious origins. His war against the establishment hides a personal scheme involving crypto currencies, which even Sofia – who he has raised like a daughter – is unaware of.

Edward Stuart – Ben Miles

Oxford-educated Ben comes from a family of bankers. Head of the banking sector, Ben is Massimo’s rival for the vice-CEO position and is suspected of setting up the scandal against Massimo – but his real involvement turns out to be tragically different.

Carrie Price – Sallie Harmsen

Carrie is Massimo’s wife, and a failed artist with a history of addiction. The pair were happily married before Massimo got involved with NYL and their relationship deteriorated. She suddenly reappears in Massimo’s life as an escort and suffers a serious overdose, causing everything to change forever.

Phillip Wade – Ken Stott

Phillip is a professor at the London School of Economics and a mentor to both Oliver and Massimo, who was once his student. Massimo consults Wade for advice – but should he trust him?

Vicky Bale – Lorna Brown

Vicky is the police detective in charge of the murder case at NYL. She is empathetic with victims and would do anything to discover the truth, even if it involves challenging one of the world’s largest banks.

Jeremy Stonehouse – Michael Nouri

The global CEO of NYL regards the City as his personal plaything. He shows up when things get difficult for Dominic.

Is there a trailer?

Yes – you can watch the trailer below:

Where was Devils filmed?

Devils was mostly filmed in Rome, even though much of the show is set in London.

The Rome Convention Centre ‘La Nuvola’ was the modern building used to convey Canary Wharf. The interiors of the New York Investment Bank’s London office was completely built in the studios.

A disused Rome city centre flat, an abandoned church and an archaeological site were all used for the headquarters of Subterranea.

Set decorator Rita Terenzi explained: “The set of Devils was designed to have a narrative function: to recreate the impenetrable world of global finance through the design style, the details and materials used.

“One of the protagonists of the story is the main set: the London office of the New York-London Investment Bank (NYL). The scenic design and the floor furnishings have been conceived in a realistic way, the workstations designed as a war room. Cool furnishings and materials, several mirrors to allow the director to have a sophisticated yet realistic and sober photography, without any glamourous excess.”

Location manager Pierfranco Santarsiero added: “The search for the locations for Devils presented a number of interesting challenges. The main one was to find in Rome, an ancient city, locations that could plausibly be in London, city that has always combined traditional and contemporary, training and showcase ground for great architects.

“All of the locations of Devils have been identified thanks to a continuous exchange of references between Rome and London, which appears in the external scenes with his City and surroundings, which allowed to achieve a realistic and riveting atmosphere.”

Is there a season 2 of Devils?

Yes! Sky has confirmed that Alessandro Borghi and Patrick Dempsey have reprised their roles, and that production is under way in Rome.

*Warning: Season 1 spoilers ahead*

We pick up season 2 four years after Massimo thwarted Dominic's plan against the Euro and the death of Sofia.

Massimo is now NYL bank's new CEO and has appointed a group of Chinese investors to the board, who want to rule over the tech sector in a silent war with the US. The two sides fight over the data of millions of people, and Massimo finally has to choose which side to take.

Malachi Kirby, Pia Mechler, Paul Chowdhry, Harry Michell and Lars Mikkelsen all return, while Li Jun Li (Minority Report), Joel de la Fuente (Man in the High Castle) and Clara Rosanger (The Rain) join the cast.

The second series will comprise eight episodes and will be available on Sky Atlantic with NOW.

How to watch Devils

The Devils season 1 box set is available to watch on Sky Atlantic with the NOW Entertainment Membership.

Copyright for first three images: © Sky Italia

Copyright for remaining images: Antonello & Montesi