Apple has given an eight-episode straight-to-series order to dramaDefending Jacob, headlined and executive produced by Captain America and The Avengers star Chris Evans.
Created and written by Mark Bomback (Planet of the Apes trilogy) based on William Landay’s bestselling novel, the limited series comes from Paramount Television and Anonymous Content. Oscar-nominated Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game, Counterpart, Jack Ryan) is attached to direct the series and executive produce.
Defending Jacob is described as a a gripping, character-driven thriller based on Landay’s 2012 novel published by Random House. The book tells the story of a father dealing with the accusation that his son is a 14-year-old murderer.
Bomback,who also will serve as showrunner, Evans and Tyldum executive produce with Rosalie Swedlin and Adam Shulman for Anonymous Content.
At Apple, Anonymous and Paramount TV also have a series order for the untitled Hilde Lysiak detective project.
Evans will next be seen in his final turn as Captain America in the fourth Avengers film. He recently starred on Broadway to critical praise in Lobby Hero and is about to begin production on The Devil All the Time.
Bomback’s screenwriting credits include the Planet of the Apes trilogy, The Wolverine and Live Free or Die Hard.
Tyldum received an Oscar nomination for the Benedict Cumberbatch starrer The Imitation Game. He also helmed the Jo Nesbo adaptation Headhunters and most recently the Jennifer Lawrence-Chris Pratt sci-fi saga Passengers. In TV, Tyldum serves as executive producer on Amazon’s Jack Ryan and Starz’s Counterpart and directed the pilot episodes of both.
Evans is repped by CAA, 3 Arts and attorney Jason Sloane. Tyldum is repped by WME, Anonymous Content, and Bloom, Hergott, Diemer. Bomback is repped by WME, Anonymous Content, and David Colden. The novel was represented on behalf of the Alice Martell Agency by Hotchkiss Daily and Associates.