James Norton is pulling off a cool magic trick these days, playing the man-of-faith hero on one show (PBS’s “Grantchester’’) and the malignant villain on another (Netflix’s “Happy Valley’’). The British actor is equally convincing in both roles; he is remarkably versatile and can work in many different genres and explore a range of character types, the way the likes of Christian Bale and Gary Oldman can.

He’s also a perk in “Black Mirror,’’ in one of the best episodes of the new season called “Nosedive.’’ It’s about social media run amok. And he was memorable in his turn as the disillusioned Prince Andrei Bolkonsky in the adaptation of “War & Peace’’ that ran on A&E, Lifetime, and History in January.

The guy is bound to make a big breakthrough on both sides of the pond sooner or later. He’s certainly got the goods to back him up.

The reason I’m thinking of him is that he just signed up for the lead role in a new eight-episode AMC drama called “McMafia.’’ He’ll play a guy who, despite his best efforts, gets pulled deeper and deeper into the international criminal world of his Russian parents. There will be money launderers, crooked politicians, hard-nosed intelligence agencies, the whole gamut of baddies.

Created and written by Hossein Amini (“Drive’’), the show is based on the book of the same name by Misha Glenny. It will costar Juliet Rylance, David Strathairn, and Faye Marsay, who was the cold-hearted Waif on “Game of Thrones.’’ AMC is coproducing with the BBC, following the model of “Humans’’ and “The Night Manager.’’

Matthew Gilbert can be reached at gilbert@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewGilbert.