Swayze shows dark side in "Beast"

Actor Patrick Swayze attends the fan screening of ''Mission: Impossible III'' at the Grauman's Chinese theatre in Hollywood in this file photo from May 4, 2006. Patrick Swayze will play an unorthodox but effective FBI veteran in A&E Network's drama pilot ''The Beast.''

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Patrick Swayze will play an unorthodox but effective FBI veteran in A&E Network's drama pilot "The Beast."

His character trains a new partner (Travis Fimmel) in his hard-edged, psychologically clever style while being pursued by a secret Internal Affairs team.

"Patrick plays a tough, darker character that needs some likability, and he definitely has that," said Tana Nugent Jamieson, senior VP drama programming at the cable network.

Shooting will start later this year, likely in Chicago or Toronto.

Swayze next appears in the films "Christmas in Wonderland" and "Powder Blue." Fimmel, who starred in ABC's "Tarzan," next appears in the movies "Ivory" and "Surfer Dude."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter