Charlie Hunnam‘s upcoming crime thriller appears to be the ideal continuation of both <em>Sons of Anarchy</em> and <em>Justified</em>. Over a career that spans more than two decades, Charlie Hunnam has taken on a variety of roles across film and television. While he is recognized for his performances in several movies and shows, one role continues to define his acting career: Jax Teller in Sons of Anarchy.
For over five years and seven seasons, Charlie Hunnam fully embraced the role, delivering one of television’s most unforgettable outlaw protagonists. Although he has portrayed similar morally complex characters in other productions like The Gentlemen and Shantaram, Jax Teller remains nearly synonymous with his career.
This, however, may soon change as Charlie Hunnam is set to star in one of the most anticipated upcoming crime thrillers. Based on Ed Brubaker’s Criminal comics, Prime Video’s Criminal has the potential to become one of the finest modern offerings in the genre. If everything goes well, Criminal will not only provide Hunnam with a new small-screen success but also potentially serve as the perfect replacement for Justified.
Prime Video’s Adaptation of Criminal Comics Will Be Ideal for Fans of Justified
In terms of overall tone, Ed Brubaker’s Criminal comics are significantly grittier and more noir than Elmore Leonard’s Justified. Nevertheless, the creative vision behind both seems quite similar.
The compelling nature of Justified lies in its portrayal of antagonists who, like Boyd Crowder, Mags Bennett, and Dickie Bennett, feel profoundly human. Criminal adopts a similar approach by focusing on the lives of outlaws from generational crime families, pickpockets, heist planners, and compromised law enforcement officers.
Almost all story beats in Criminal‘s first season will likely remind viewers of Boyd Crowder’s journey in Justified and how he navigated illegal schemes to cope with his own errors.
Like Justified, Criminal is filled with sharp dialogue that makes its drama feel authentic. There are no forced speeches or witty one-liners, which keeps its drama grounded and immersive. Just as Justified gradually builds generational lore surrounding Harlan County’s blood feuds and local legends, Criminal, too, traverses multiple timelines to uncover the far-reaching consequences of crime.
With numerous intriguing parallels between Criminal and Justified, it is difficult not to envision how the upcoming Prime Video series could serve as the perfect replacement for Justified.
Criminal Has The Potential To Be As Significant As Justified & Sons Of Anarchy
The original comic book series of Criminal has already garnered significant global acclaim, underscoring the strength of its source material. The established success of this material suggests that if executed effectively, the Prime Video adaptation could hold immense promise.
The show’s chances of success appear remarkably high since Ed Brubaker, the author of the comics, is serving as co-showrunner, writer, and executive producer. This ensures that the series will stay true to its source material while only making necessary adjustments.
Much like acclaimed crime dramas such as Sons of Anarchy and Justified, Criminal‘s cast features many well-known actors including Charlie Hunnam, Emilia Clarke, Luke Evans, Richard Jenkins, and John Hawkes among others. With such a talented ensemble linked to this character-driven crime thriller series, it is hard not to believe that it could become Prime Video’s next major prestige crime drama.
While only time will reveal whether the show featuring Charlie Hunnam will endure as long as Sons of Anarchy or Justified, its source material seems to offer enough content for at least four seasons. If everything proceeds smoothly, Criminal could very well enjoy a solid four-season run on Prime Video.
