Over seven seasons of FX’s Sons of Anarchy, Charlie Hunnam played anti-hero Jax Teller. A character who found the shadow of his father’s legacy looming over him while trying to make a name for himself in the underworld of that titular biking club, Jax’s struggles made for good TV. While it doesn't look like a project set for the 2024 TV schedule, Hunnam has been announced as returning to TV with a role that’s pretty close to home when it comes to the fictional figure that helped make his name.
Deadline has reported that the Pacific Rim veteran has been cast in Criminal, a series coming to Amazon Prime Video subscription holder, with Charlie set to take the starring role of Leo. His addition to the acting roster sees Hunnam joining the likes of Adria Arjona, Richard Jenkins and Kadeem Hardison in this new noir-flavored world of intrigue.
Which totally makes sense, as this is a crime tale adapted from the graphic novel series of the same name by writer Ed Brubaker. With that in mind, take a look at these further details that give us more insight into what’s going on in Leo’s life:
…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.
I don’t know about you, but I’m already seeing some images of Criminal’s televised potential flashing in front of my eyes. In fact, Charlie Hunnam’s performance in Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen is what comes to mind when reading that logline, and keeping his SamCro past in mind. This isn’t going to be a clean and tidy world, but the way that Leo moves about it sounds like it’s designed to minimize bloodshed and maximize the advantage in his favor.
There is another detail I’d like to discuss when it comes to Charlie and his new career as a Criminal. Ed Brubaker’s series of books using that name are actually an anthology of hard-boiled crime stories that focus on different protagonists. So unless the top brass are looking to pull a Shōgun-style expansion of the source material, we might only get one season of Charlie Hunnam in action.
Everything’s on the table obviously, as it’s still early days for Criminal. At the same time, I’m ready to get excited for Mr. Hunnam’s return to a life of crime, besting enemies left and right. Although, since this series is being produced by Legendary Television, maybe there’s some sort of long shot that Charlie’s conditions to make Pacific Rim 3 may somehow be met thanks to this promising project.
For now though, if you want to see Charlie Hunnam riding with the Sons of Anarchy, that entire series is streaming for those of you who possess a Hulu subscription. And seriously, not to invoke typecasting or anything, but if anyone involved in Criminal is thinking about casting Ron Perlman, but needs an extra nudge... consider this your nudge.
