Criminal (TV series)
An upcoming crime drama based on the comic by Brubaker and Phillips.
Criminal is an upcoming American crime drama television series for Amazon Prime Video, created by co-showrunners Ed Brubaker and Jordan Harper. It adapts the Image Comics series of the same name by Brubaker and Sean Phillips, and is scheduled to premiere before the end of 2026. The story spans several generations of criminal families and the murders that link their histories.
The main cast includes Charlie Hunnam as Leo, a criminal mastermind who plans jobs without guns or violence, unlike his father Tommy; Richard Jenkins as Ivan, a former robber with dementia and a close friend of Leo’s father; Adria Arjona as Greta, a driver and car thief unable to escape crime after being widowed on a job, and mother to Angie; Kadeem Hardison as Gnarly, a former boxer and friend of Leo and Ivan; Logan Browning as Jenny, an Internal Affairs detective raised alongside Leo; Emilia Clarke as Mallory, an armed robber in a crew and relationship with Ricky Lawless; and Luke Evans as Tracy Lawless, a former soldier who returns to the criminal world.
Recurring roles include Pat Healy as Seymour, a thief who worked with Leo’s father; John Hawkes as Sebastian Hyde, a crime-world shark recovering from a stroke; Taylor Selé as Royal, manager of Hyde’s gambling club; Gus Halper as Ricky Lawless, an unstable drug-using criminal who grew up with Leo and is son of feared criminal Teeg Lawless; Aliyah Camacho as Angie, Greta’s daughter; Michael Mando as Jeff, a bad Vice cop who has lost hope; Marvin Jones III as Chester, Hyde’s chief enforcer; Michael Xavier as Terry, an armed robber, friend of Leo, stepfather to Angie, and Greta’s new love; and Dominic Burgess as Delron, a criminal on trial at his organization’s mercy. Additionally, Garrett Hedlund, Chris Diamantopoulos, Lawrence Kao, Katie Stevens, John Pyper-Ferguson, Robert Lee Hart, Aina Brei’yon, and Kyle Davis appear in undisclosed roles.
The series was first in development at Legendary Television in 2019, with Brubaker adapting his comic. In February 2023, Amazon Studios requested further development, and Brubaker executive produced with additional writers. Amazon ordered the series in January 2024, hiring Jordan Harper as co-showrunner. In April 2024, Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck were hired to direct the first four episodes, and Dee Rees directed the remaining four.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Crime drama
- Creator
- Ed Brubaker
- Based On
- Criminal · Ed Brubaker · Sean Phillips
- Showrunner
- Ed Brubaker · Jordan Harper
- Screenplay
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- Starring
- Charlie Hunnam / Richard Jenkins / Adria Arjona / Kadeem Hardison / Logan Browning / Emilia Clarke / Luke Evans
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Num Seasons
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- Num Series
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- Executive Producer
- Ed Brubaker / Jordan Harper / Sean Phillips / Sarah Carbiener / Phillip Barnett
- Company
- Beautiful Trash / Car Beans / Big Indie Pictures / Legendary Television / Amazon MGM Studios
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The series was in initial development at Legendary Television in 2019, with Brubaker adapting his own work. In February 2023, Amazon Studios requested further development, and the series was officially ordered in January 2024, with Jordan Harper hired as co-showrunner. Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck directed the first four episodes, and Dee Rees directed the latter four. Filming began in Portland, Oregon, including at the historic Star Theater, on June 10, 2024, and continued through October. The main cast includes Charlie Hunnam as Leo, Richard Jenkins as Ivan, Adria Arjona as Greta, Kadeem Hardison as Gnarly, Logan Browning as Jenny, Emilia Clarke as Mallory, and Luke Evans as Tracy Lawless. Recurring roles include Pat Healy, John Hawkes, Taylor Selé, Gus Halper, Aliyah Camacho, Michael Mando, Marvin Jones III, and more.
Reader's Guide
Criminal represents a significant adaptation of a long-running comic series by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, originally published by Marvel/Image. The series brings together a large ensemble cast to depict interconnected criminal families across generations. Its production involved notable directors and a filming schedule in Portland. The series also spurred a reissue of the original comic trade paperbacks by Image Comics in 2025, as well as two new original graphic novels released prior to the series premiere: The Knives (September 9, 2025) and Five Gears In Reverse (June 23, 2026). In August 2026, a lawsuit was filed by former production assistant Ijaaz Noobu against Brubaker, Amazon Services, Big Indie Gemini, Inc., MGM, and Phillip Barnett, alleging harassment, discrimination, assault, and failure to investigate. The series is anticipated as a major entry in crime television, though its legacy will be shaped by both its content and the legal proceedings.
Did You Know?
- The series is based on the Marvel/Image comic book Criminal by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips.
- Two new original graphic novels by Brubaker and Phillips were released before the series: The Knives (September 9, 2025) and Five Gears In Reverse (June 23, 2026).
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