Charlie Hunnam to Lead ‘Criminal’ Series Adaptation at Amazon

Charlie Hunnam has been cast in the lead role of the series adaptation of “Criminal” at Amazon Prime Video, Variety has learned.

“Criminal” is based on the graphic novels of the same name by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. The official description states that the series is “an interlocking universe of crime stories.”

Hunnam will star as Leo. The character is described as “A brilliant master thief who sees all the angles, and specializes in plans with no guns and no violence. Like a chess player, Leo thinks three moves ahead. Other crooks think he’s a coward, especially compared to his father Tommy, who went to jail for murdering the most feared man in the city, Teeg Lawless.”

Hunnam joins previously announced cast members Adria Arjona, Richard Jenkins, and Kadeem Hardison in the series.

This is not the first time Hunnam has starred as a criminal in a TV series or film. He is best known for starring in the popular FX outlaw biker drama “Sons of Anarchy,” on which he played Jackson “Jax” Teller for seven seasons. He recently starred in the Apple series adaptation of the book “Shantaram,” playing an Australian man convicted for armed robbery who escapes from prison and flees to India. Hunnam also played Raymond, the right hand man to pot kingpin Mickey Pearson, in Guy Ritchie’s film “The Gentlemen.” Hunnam’s other TV credits include “Undeclared” and “Queer as Folk,” while his film credits include “Pacific Rim,” “True History of the Kelly Gang,” “Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire,” and “The Lost City of Z.”

He is repped by Brillstein Entertainment Partners, CAA, and Sloan Offer.

Brubaker will serve as co-showrunner and executive producer on “Criminal” along with Jordan Harper. Phillips also executive produces, as does Sarah Carbiener, and Phillip Barnett. Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden will direct the first four episodes. Legendary Television will also serve as an executive producer. The series is produced by Amazon MGM Studios.