A TV adaptation of a bestselling comic book series is in the works on Prime Video, and a closer look at the show reveals how it has the potential to become the next Sons of Anarchy. Almost two decades have since Sons of Anarchy‘s premiere on the small screen. Yet, even after all these years, the show is hailed as one of the best modern crime dramas out there.
Sons of Anarchy did not have a perfect seven-season run. The show experienced a few major hiccups throughout its runtime, highlighting why its overall Rotten Tomatoes score falls short of touching 90%. However, even during its relatively slower story beats, Sons of Anarchy remained immersive because of Charlie Hunnam’s incredible portrayal of Jax Teller.
After all these years, Hunnam is all set to return to the small screen for another promising crime drama. The crime drama, in question, adapts a highly acclaimed comic book series and has a lot going in its favor. If all goes well for the upcoming Prime Video crime drama, it could even match Sons of Anarchy‘s legacy and prove to be even better than the FX show.
Prime Video Is Adapting Ed Brubaker’s Iconic Criminal Comics
Prime Video is adapting Ed Brubaker and artist Sean Phillips’ Criminal comic book series, which is known for its incredible neo-noir storytelling, morally complex characters, and interconnected crime saga. What makes the adaptation particularly promising is that Ed Brubaker himself wrote its pilot script and serves as co-showrunner alongside acclaimed crime fiction author Jordan Harper.
Criminal‘s directing slate also includes many high-caliber names like Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (Captain Marvel, Masters of the Air) and Dee Rees (Mudbound). In season 1, the Prime Video crime drama is set to adapt the “Coward” and “Lawless” volumes of the source material.
In these early chapters, Charlie Hunnam will play the main character, Leo Patterson, who is a well-known pickpocket and heist planner. He is commonly referred to as a “coward” because, unlike his father, he takes all the precautions in the world and avoids using weapons during his heists. The first arc of his story follows a heist-gone-wrong when he and his team get double-crossed by some cops.
“Lawless” focuses on military deserter Tracy Lawless (played by Luke Evans), who sets out to seek revenge for his younger brother’s murder. Apart from Charlie Hunnam and Luke Evans, the show’s roster also includes other talented actors like Emilia Clarke, Gus Harper, and Richard Jenkins, among others.
Prime Video’s Criminal Can Be As Big As Sons Of Anarchy For Charlie Hunnam
When it comes to movies, Charlie Hunnam has seemingly had quite a few hits or misses in the last couple of years. The Rebel Moon movies could have given him a new breakthrough, but they struggled to leave their mark. Even on the small screen, Hunnam initially struggled to make a comeback after Sons of Anarchy. Apple TV’s Shantaram initially seemed promising, but it failed to impress viewers and critics.
However, with Netflix’s Monster, Hunnam recently gained a new wave of appreciation for his chilling portrayal of Ed Gein. Criminal will be his second TV outing after Sons of Anarchy, and it could give him another TV hit.
Criminal already has a lot going in its favor. For instance, Ed Brubaker’s direct involvement alone promises that the Prime Video series will be as good as the comics. Hunnam’s history of playing morally ambiguous characters on the screen also makes him a perfect fit for the show’s gritty world.
Hopefully, like Sons of Anarchy, Prime Video‘s Criminal, too, will materialize into a long-running crime saga and finally give Charlie Hunnam another defining television role after a long time.