Prime Video has unveiled the first teaser trailer for ‘Criminal‘, its star-studded new crime drama based on the acclaimed graphic novels by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. Featuring Charlie Hunnam, Adria Arjona, Luke Evans and Emilia Clarke, the series arrives in January 2027, with eight episodes released across two interconnected four-part stories.
Based on the multi-Eisner Award-winning comics, ‘Criminal’ explores a tangled world of thieves, outlaws and families whose histories are soaked in violence and betrayal. With gunfights, heists, tragic romance and a few extremely questionable life decisions, it looks like Prime Video has another potentially addictive crime thriller on its hands.
The story begins with two childhood friends, Leo Patterson (Charlie Hunnam, Sons of Anarchy) and Ricky Lawless (Gus Halper, Law & Order: Organized Crime), who grew up surrounded by crime but have very different ideas about their futures. Leo is desperately trying to escape the criminal world that shaped him, while Ricky seems determined to embrace it, particularly the legendary outlaw reputation of his father.
Things get considerably more complicated when Ricky’s older brother, Tracy Lawless (Luke Evans, Nine Perfect Strangers), returns home from the Army. Twenty years earlier, Tracy chose military service over a prison sentence and left his criminal past behind. However, when Ricky gets himself mixed up with the wrong people, Tracy finds himself dragged back into the dangerous life he thought he’d escaped.
Also caught in the chaos is Greta (Adria Arjona, Andor), a sharp-tongued car thief with connections to Leo’s past, and Mallory (Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones), Ricky’s girlfriend, who is increasingly concerned about just how far he’ll go to survive.
And, as the teaser suggests, when everyone has something to hide, trusting the people closest to you might be the most dangerous decision of all.
Two Stories, One Criminal Underworld
Rather than following a traditional weekly release schedule, Prime Video is dividing the eight-episode series into two distinct four-part stories, with every episode of each part arriving together.
Part One, ‘Coward’, focuses on Leo and Ricky as long-buried family secrets come crashing back into their lives. Haunted by a murder from their childhood, the pair become embroiled in a heist that goes disastrously wrong, forcing them to confront a past neither can escape.
Part Two, ‘Lawless’, shifts the focus towards Tracy, exploring his return to the criminal underworld after two decades away. With his younger brother in serious trouble, Tracy must confront the family legacy he tried so hard to leave behind and discover what it really means to carry the Lawless name.
It’s an intriguing approach to adapting Brubaker and Phillips’ sprawling comic book universe, allowing the series to explore different characters and perspectives while keeping their stories connected.
Alongside the central cast, the series features Richard Jenkins (Six Feet Under), Kadeem Hardison (A Different World), John Hawkes (Deadwood) and Logan Browning (Dear White People). The recurring and guest cast includes Michael Mando (Better Call Saul), Garrett Hedlund (Tulsa King) and Patrick J. Adams (Suits), among many others.
The original graphic novels have earned considerable acclaim for their layered storytelling, morally complicated characters and gritty take on the crime genre. Rather than centring on a single hero, the comics explore an interconnected universe of criminals, with different stories revealing how their lives and histories overlap.
Brubaker and Phillips are both executive producers on the television adaptation, alongside Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, Jordan Harper, Sarah Carbiener, Dee Rees, Halley Gross and Philipp A. Barnett. The series is produced by Amazon MGM Studios alongside Basement Gang, Big Indie Pictures, Gowanus Projections and Legendary Television.
With its impressive cast, award-winning source material and interconnected storytelling, ‘Criminal’ is shaping up to be a particularly interesting addition to Prime Video’s 2027 drama line-up. And if the series captures the atmosphere and complexity of the original comics, this could be one well worth keeping an eye on.
‘Criminal‘ Part One, ‘Coward’, premieres Wednesday, 13th January 2027 on Prime Video UK, with all four episodes available at launch.
‘Criminal‘ Part Two, ‘Lawless’, premieres Wednesday, 27th January 2027 on Prime Video UK, with all four episodes available at launch.
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