'Agent Carter' lead Hayley Atwell to star in ABC drama pilot 'Conviction'

ABC's Agent Carter is about to face its toughest opponent yet: the bubble.

Star Hayley Atwell has booked the lead role in the network's drama pilot Conviction, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

Conviction tells the story of Carter Morrison (Atwell), the brilliant but ne'er-do-well daughter of a former president, who is blackmailed into taking a job as the head of Los Angeles' newly created Conviction Integrity Unit. She, along with her team of lawyers, investigators and forensic experts, work together to examine cases where there's credible suspicion that the wrong person may have been convicted of a crime.

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Atwell's role is in first position to Agents of SHIELD spinoff Agent Carter. That means that if Conviction goes to series, she would have to juggle both that and Agent Carter -; if, and that is a big if -; the modestly rated Marvel drama goes on to get a third season. Insiders stress the network would work out a production schedule that could accommodate both Agent Carter and Conviction.

Jessica Jones' Liz Friedman penned the script, will direct and exec produce alongside the Mark Gordon Co.'s Gordon and Nicholas Pepper.

The news comes as Agent Carter showrunners Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters also have a pilot in the mix at ABC -; soap The Death of Eva Sofia Valdez, which they exec produce alongside writer Charise Castro Smith.

Keep up with all the latest pickups, castings and eventual series orders with THR's handy guide to pilot season.