Pictures courtesy of Netflix, photo credit: Tom Jamieson / Elisha Knight
As Extraction gears up to start production, the cast has grown to six, with three new main additions confirmed today.
Waleed Zuaiter is a Palestinian-American actor and producer, born in Sacramento and raised in Kuwait. He headlined Channel 4’s Baghdad Central as Khafaji, which earned him a BAFTA Leading Actor nomination in 2021. He also produced and co-starred in Omar, the Palestinian thriller that was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar in 2014. Recently, he broke big with UK audiences as Koba in Gangs of London Season 2.
May Calamawy is an Egyptian-Palestinian actress, born in Bahrain and trained in the United States, best known for playing Dena in Ramy and Layla El-Faouly in Marvel’s Moon Knight, where Layla becomes the Scarlet Scarab, the MCU’s first Egyptian superhero.
Ed Speleers broke out in Eragon at 17, then built a following on prestige TV, from Downton Abbey to Outlander, before landing buzzy roles as Jack Crusher in Star Trek: Picard Season 3 and Rhys Montrose in Netflix’s You Season 4, and most recently appearing alongside Lindsay Lohan in Irish Wish.
Who could the new cast members be playing? Let’s speculate.
The roles of these castings in Extraction were not disclosed, but we/you can make a few guesses based on prior character names and descriptions that have been uncovered. We will include those in a big preview we are working on for the series in due course.
Waleed Zuaiter mostly fits the character description of Hamza Najjar, with a few caveats. His age, Middle Eastern heritage and prior experience in military and political roles make him a standout candidate. Najjar’s character description reads:
“The charismatic leader of Al Saiqa, a Libyan militia group. A former soldier haunted by the atrocities he committed while in the government army, he abandoned his post after witnessing and participating in brutal attacks against innocent villages.”
May Calamawy is a very perfect fit for Priscilla “Cilla” Ragab. She has Egyptian heritage, just like the character, fits the age range, and her career highlights include characters with similar personalities. The character description reads:
“Cilla is a determined and compassionate executive who leads the Pantone Foundation. Seven months pregnant, she refuses to let her condition hinder her involvement in critical company matters. Fluent in Arabic, Cilla demonstrates cultural awareness and uses her language skills to defuse tense situations, notably intervening to protect her colleague Veer from a captor’s aggression. Her empathy extends to the mercenaries, expressing concern when they are left behind during the attack.”
Ed Speleers matches the role of Kevin Porter. While slightly younger than the desired age (40-49), Speelers, 37, could believably play the older age range. Moreover, he largely fits the characteristics of Porter, who’s a former U.S. Marine with a highly decorated military background. The description reads:
“Kevin Porter is the seasoned Head of Security at the Qasr bu Hadi oil fields in Libya. A former U.S. Marine with a decorated military background, he brings a no-nonsense attitude and a wealth of experience to his role. Porter serves as a mentor and close friend to Diallo, often offering pragmatic advice about life and personal relationships, particularly regarding Diallo’s commitment to Amina. Despite his tough exterior and sarcastic demeanor, he cares deeply for his team and prioritizes their safety above all else. During the unexpected attack on the oil field by Al Saiqa militants, Porter displays exceptional leadership and bravery, orchestrating a defense and attempting to evacuate the executives.”
This marks the fourth major casting round for the Extraction series, following Omar Sy’s initial attachment to the project in early 2025. The second major casting announcement came in recent weeks, with Boyd Holbrook joining as Amina, and soon after, Natalie Dormer joined in the role of Clayton Wisper, the CEO of Wisper Group and a private military contractor.
Previous additions to the Extraction cast: Omar Sy (left), Boyd Holbrook (center), and Natalie Dormer (right)
Filming for the new series is set to begin in Ireland (with locations around Dublin and Wicklow) in September and will run through early 2026. It will be split between Ireland and Morocco, according to the latest production listings. The Ireland unit will film between September 15 and November 28, while the Morocco unit will film through March 2026.
As a reminder, the official logline for the eight-episode series is as follows: “A mercenary (Omar Sy) embarks on a dangerous mission to rescue hostages in Libya. Trapped between warring factions and ruthless killers, he must navigate life-or-death choices while confronting deep emotional wounds. The series explores the trauma, betrayal, and moral conflicts of characters pushed to the edge.”
Glen Mazzara serves as showrunner, with Jessica Granger as writer. Ari Costa, Louise Hooper, and Mark Tonderai are attached as directors on the eight-episode series. AGBO is producing, with Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Angela Russo-Otstot, Scott Nemes, Chris Castaldi, Sam Hargrave, Eric Gitter, and Peter Schwerin as executive producers.
Are you looking forward to the new Extraction series? Let us know in the comments below.
