'Succession' breakout Ashley Zukerman to lead 'Langdon', based on Dan Brown's novels

Actor Ashley Zukerman is set to play the title role in NBC's drama pilot "Langdon", based on the character in Dan Brown's bestseller "The Lost Symbol".

The actor is best known for playing Shiv Roy's (Sarah Snook) former colleague and on-and-off lover, Nate Sofrelli in HBO's Emmy-winning series "Succession".

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Zukerman will star as Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon in the show.

Hollywood star Tom Hanks has played Langdon in three movies based on Brown's novels "The Da Vinci Code", "Angels & Demons" and "Inferno".

The pilot, from CBS Television Studios, Universal TV and Imagine TV, follows the early adventures of Langdon, who must solve a series of deadly puzzles to save his kidnapped mentor and avert a global conspiracy.

Dan Dworkin and Jay Beattie, whose credits include "Revenge" and "Scream", are writing the adaptation of Brown's novel.

Dworkin and Beattie will executive produce with the author and Imagine's Brian Grazer, Samie Falvey, and Anna Culp.

Filmmaker Ron Howard, who directed Hanks in the three films, is also attached as executive producer.