Another Marvel actor is heading to television. Captain America himselfChris Evanshas signed on to star in and executive produce a new limited series at Apple calledDefending Jacob, perVariety. The show is based on the 2012 novel of the same name by authorWilliam Landay, which tells the story of a father whose 14-year-old son has been accused of murder. The book is described as a legal thriller, as the father’s faith in his son is tested when evidence begins to mount.
Mark Bomback, whose screenplay credits includeWar for the Planet of the ApesandThe Wolverine, is onboard to create, write, and executive produce the series, and he’ll serve as the showrunner. Oscar-nominatedThe Imitation GameandPassengershelmerMorten Tyldum, meanwhile, will direct. This isn’t Tyldum’s first foray into TV—he recently directed the pilot for Amazon’sJack Ryanseries. But forDefending Jacobit sounds like he’ll be directing every episode. Bomback, meanwhile, most recently wrote the upcoming Netflix filmOutlaw KingstarringChris Pine.
Apple has orderedDefending Jacobstraight to series, as it has all of the shows it’s announced thus far. What Applehasn’tannounced is how, when, or where anyone will be able to watch any of its original content. The industry is bracing for Apple’s entry into the original film and TV game as they’ve roped in high-profile talent likeDamien Chazelle,M. Night Shyamalan, andFrancis Lawrence, but we still have no idea how the content will be consumed.
Evans, meanwhile, is coming off a surprisingly brief turn inAvengers: Infinity War, and all bets are off when it comes to his character’s fate inAvengers 4. He may be hanging up the shield for good, but Evans has always kept busy with a diverse range of projects in between his Marvel duties, so this Apple news isn’t confirmation of anything re: his MCU future. Still, I’d be surprised if he stuck around the Marvel universe much longer.
This news does come after word broke that Marvel Studios presidentKevin Feigeis going to be overseeinglimited series runsof popular MCU characters who haven’t yet gotten their own standalone movies, likeTom Hiddleston’s Loki andElizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch. Those shows will debut on Disney’s streaming service, which launches sometime in late 2019.
