PRODUCTION HAS BEGUN ON ABC’S “MISSING,” STARRING ASHLEY JUDD

Production has begun in Europe on “Missing,” ABC’s highly anticipated new drama series starring Ashley Judd (“Double Jeopardy,” “Kiss the Girls”). Exotic locations and thrilling twists will keep viewers riveted in this story of a mother whose son suddenly disappears while studying abroad, and of the surprising events that reveal just how far she’ll go to find him and bring him back home. The series will begin with 10 episodes, and comes from writer Gregory Poirier (“National Treasure: Book of Secrets”) and executive producers Gina Matthews and Grant Scharbo (“The Gates”).

How far would you go to save the only thing you have left in the world? After CIA Agent Paul Winstone (Sean Bean, “Game of Thrones”) was murdered, his wife, Becca (Judd), and their son, Michael, struggled to rebuild their lives. Now, 10 years later, Michael goes missing under suspicious circumstances, and Becca will do anything it takes to find him.

From the time Michael was just 8 years old and witnessed his father’s death, Becca has been overprotective. But she couldn’t say no to Michael’s amazing opportunity to study in Rome. Just a few weeks into his trip, however, Michael disappears. Becca flies to Rome for answers, but no one takes her seriously — so she takes matters into her own hands. Becca isn’t just a mother looking for her son; both she and Michael’s father were CIA agents, so whoever took Michael has messed with the wrong mother. Still, if Becca wants to find her son alive, it will take all of her resourcefulness, skill and determination, and she’ll have to rely on old friends and reopen old wounds. But a mother’s love knows no limits.

“Missing” stars Ashley Judd as Becca Winstone, Sean Bean as Paul Winstone, Nick Eversman (“Cinema Verite”) as Michael Winstone, Cliff Curtis (“Trauma”) as Dax, Adriano Giannini (“Oceans Twelve”) as Giancarlo and Tereza Voriskova (“Borgia”) as Oksana.

“Missing” is produced by ABC Studios. The pilot was written by Gregory Poirier, who is also an executive producer along with Gina Matthews, Grant Scharbo, Steve Shill (“Dexter”) and James Parriott (“Sons of Anarchy”). Shill, an Emmy winner for directing “Dexter,” will direct many of the episodes for “Missing.”