Chris Evans had about as big of a year as any actor in 2019, starring in the biggest box office success of all time, Avengers: Endgame, as well as Rian Johnson's ensemble mystery-drama Knives Out (among other projects). Apple TV+ was obviously banking hard on Evans' theatrical prowess when the streaming service landed him for its upcoming crime drama Defending Jacob, and now audiences finally know when the actor's first big TV role will see the light of day.
With a reveal that coincided with its presence at the Television Critics Association's 2020 winter press tour, Apple TV+ announced that Chris' Evans' Defending Jacob will debut on Friday, April 24. Similarly to how Apple has handled its other shows, the new Chris Evans series will give fans three full episodes right from the start, providing a solid foundation for anyone to decide whether or not it's worth sticking with the Mark Bomback-created drama.
Defending Jacob will also be like Apple TV+'s other original shows in that it is set to be a weekly release, with new episodes hitting Apple TV+ every Friday. With eight episodes in total, Defending Jacob doesn't seem like it'll demand a huge chunk of viewers' time, and will hopefully be worth every second of waiting.
Before going into the story that Defending Jacob will tell, let's take a look at one of two new images released by Apple TV+ to get people talking about the new show.
It isn't the most detailed or mind-boggling first look, but just the sight of Chris Evans in anything new is enough to get some fans pumped. Even if he's looking particularly solemn while standing around in the woods near what is presumably a crime scene.
For Defending Jacob, Chris Evans will play Andy Barber, an assistant District Attorney in a small Massachusetts town that gets rocked by a shocking crime. It's a hard pill to swallow for the town in general, but even harder for Evans' D.A., since it's his 14-year-old son who is accused of murder. Understandably, Andy Barber is caught between a dedication to upholding justice and an unending love for his son. It doesn't sound like things will end too cheerily for this family.
Speaking of, Chris Evans will be joined by Downton Abbey and Godless star Michelle Dockery, who is set to play wife and mother Laurie Barber. Their teenage son will be portrayed by IT franchise star Jaeden Martell, who also co-starred with the sweater-wearing Evans in Knives Out.
Check out the first look at Evans, Dockery and Martell below.
Defending Jacob is based on the bestselling 2012 novel of the same name written by William Landay, who earned his widest acclaim yet for the book. The series was ordered by Apple TV+ back in September of 2018, with The Wolverine and the rebooted Planet of the Apes franchise screenwriter Mark Bomback serving as creator. The cast also includes TV vets such as American Gods' Pablo Schreiber, Gossip Girl's Leighton Meester, The Vampire Diaries' Paul Wesley, Westworld's Betty Gabriel, and 24's Cherry Jones.
Chris Evans also serves as executive producer, along with Imitation Game helmer Morten Tyldum, who served as director for Defending Jacob's eight episodes. Bomback will also be an EP for The Paramount Television and Anonymous Content production, along with Rosalie Swedlin and Adam Shulman.
Defending Jacob is set to release globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, April 24. Having just won its first major award via Jennifer Aniston's SAG victory for The Morning Show, Apple's streaming service is trying to gain headroom in an increasingly competitive entertainment field where companies like Netflix, Hulu and Disney+ have the upper hand. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend to see if Chris Evans can draw Avengers-sized crowds to the new crime drama.
