As a longtime fan of John Grisham’s gripping legal thrillers, I can’t help but feel a surge of excitement at the announcement of USA Network’s upcoming series, “The Rainmaker.” It’s been a while since the network has dived into the deep end of scripted drama, and I’m eager to see them make a splash with this highly-anticipated legal drama.
We’ve secured additional cast members for the forthcoming USA Network series, “The Rainmaker.” Here’s what we currently understand about this upcoming courtroom drama!
USA Network has been absent from scripted dramas for some time now. They initially dominated the scene with successful series like Monk and Suits, but in more recent years, they’ve taken a step back. However, they’re set to make a significant comeback by directly ordering a show based on John Grisham’s The Rainmaker.
Grisham is famed for penning multiple legal suspense novels, such as ‘The Firm’, ‘The Pelican Brief’, ‘The Client’, and ‘A Time To Kill’. Each of these books were adapted into movies, along with his 1995 novel ‘The Rainmaker’ that was later made into a 1997 film featuring Matt Damon.
The USA Network series comes from Michael Seiztman, who will serve as showrunner with Jason Richman, co-producer and writer. The series is in pre-production and looking to be a fun new legal thriller.
What is The Rainmaker about?
The show seems to be following closely from the original book and movie, with some unexpected changes. In the story, Rudy Baylor is a promising yet jobless lawyer. Unlike the novel where he’s employed by the ruthless and prosperous attorney J. Lyman Stone, in this series, an embattled elder Stone has fallen from grace, and it’s his daughter, known as “Bruiser” or Jocelyn, who hires Rudy from a law firm situated within a strip-mall.
Alongside a disheveled paralegal, Rudy and Jocelyn take on a cast that pits them against legendary attorney Leo Drummond, whose paralegal, Sarah Plankmore, happens to be Rudy’s law school girlfriend. As they tackle this seemingly unwinnable case, Rudy and Jocelyn discover it’s the tip of the iceberg of a criminal conspiracy.
There’s some debate about whether the series will directly translate the entire book or draw from it for the main storyline while also incorporating separate incidents. Regardless of the approach, it seems like an exciting extension of the original content.
Who stars in the series?
To date, the lineup of actors for this production is quite promising according to Deadline. Milo Callaghan has been cast as Rudy, signifying a major leap for the budding British actor who is also set to appear in the upcoming “Dune: Prophesy.” Meanwhile, Madison Iseman, known for her roles in the “Jumanji” films and various horror flicks, will portray Sarah.
In the new series, the actor John Slattery, famously known for his work on Mad Men, portrays Leo Drummond. Lana Parilla, recognized for her roles in Once Upon a Time and The Lincoln Lawyer, steps into the part of Jocelyn. P.J. Byrne will play Deck Shifflet, Rudy’s partner in this series, who was previously played by Danny DeVito in the movie. In the story, Deck is an unfeeling “paralegal” working for Jocelyn’s law firm.
The show still has a few roles to cast, however, this is a good start to build up the show.
- Milo Callaghan as Rudy Baylor
- John Slattery as Leo Drummond
- Madison Iseman as Sarah Plankmore
- Lana Parilla as Jocelyn “Bruiser” Stone
- P.J. Byrne as Deck Shifflet
Since the casting process is still underway, it’s expected that production for the show won’t begin until late in 2024, which suggests a summer 2025 release. Given its strong cast and the source material being a top-selling novel, “The Rainmaker” appears to be an engaging legal drama worth watching next year.
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2024-08-23 18:23