The world has gotten used to seeing Chris Evans on the big screen, so much so that there might be a slight panic people will feel the day he officially decides to stop playing Captain America. Even with Evans indicating his days as the hero are reaching an end, audiences won't have to worry about him fading into obscurity as the actor has a new role on the way. Evans just signed on with Apple for a brand new limited series coming to its streaming service called Defending Jacob, which means he'll be making a rare television appearance.
The title may be familiar to some, as Defending Jacob is a true-crime book from 2012 written by author William Landay. Chris Evans will star in the drama, and presumably, take on the role of assistant district attorney Andy Barber. Barber is a man whose life is turned upside-down when his 14-year-old son ends up being the prime suspect of a murder he is investigating. TVLine reports the limited series is described as a "character-driven thriller," which means Evans and others will really get a chance to put their acting skills to the test in what should be a disturbing tale.
Chris Evans will serve as an executive producer for Defending Jacob, as will the series' creator and showrunner Mark Bomback. Bomback has produced notable scripts and screenplays for Hollywood franchises such as The Planet of the Apes and The Wolverine and was involved on the producing side of the TNT series Legends. Evans has a long resume with surprisingly little television experience, although he's lent his talent to shows like Boston Public and Robot Chicken in the past.
Defending Jacob does not have a release date at this time, which isn't a huge issue at the moment considering Apple's upcoming streaming service doesn't have one either. Word spread months ago that viewers might begin to see the content Apple has commissioned for the service starting to roll out between March 2019 or summer 2019, but that news came out long before the announcement of Defending Jacob. Whether it premieres around or after that time, there's no questioning Apple will be bringing Chris Evans' project into a saturated streaming market, where Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Disney, DC Universe, and others will all be offering shows for streaming subscribers' attention. Apple certainly looks primed to compete with Evans' star power waiting in the wings, but time will tell if it'll be enough for Apple to make its mark in the streaming game.
Streaming looks set to get wild in 2019, but there's plenty of television on right now mixing things up and keeping it interesting in the present. Check out what new and returning shows are coming to television in the coming weeks with our fall premiere guide.
