EXCLUSIVE: Rory Culkin (Black Mirror, Under the Banner of Heaven) has been cast in Apple and A+E Studios‘ as-yet-untitled series based on the bestselling crime novels by Lars Kepler. He joins the previously announced series regular stars, Liev Schreiber, Zazie Beetz, Stephen Graham and Bill Camp.
The project tells the story of Jonah Lynn (Schreiber), an ex-soldier turned homicide detective who, tired of working the tough streets of Philadelphia, moves to a small town in Western Pennsylvania for a quiet life. But, as the town and his family come under attack from the diabolically cunning serial killer Jurek Walter (Graham), Jonah must protect all that he holds dear. When the desperate search for Jurek’s last missing victim forces Jonah to send his adopted daughter, FBI Agent Saga Bauer (Beetz), up against Jurek, how far will Jonah go? Camp will play Chief Ellison, the police chief.
Culkin will star as Karl, a nervous young idealist who joins the staff of a high-security psychiatric Institute with good intentions, when he is assigned to care for one of its most dangerous inmates.
Rowan Joffe and John Hlavin will co-showrun the project and executive produce alongside Tim Van Patten, who will direct the first two episodes. Filming is set to begin this summer in Pittsburgh.
Lars Kepler is a pseudonym for writing partners Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril and Alexander Ahndoril. Kepler is a bestselling thriller author with 10 published crime novels, which have sold 18 million copies globally.
Produced for Apple TV+ by A+E Studios in association with Range Studios, the series is executive produced by showrunners Joffe and Hlavin. In addition to starring, Schreiber executive produces, as does Beetz via her Sleepy Poppy production company. Van Patten, Kepler (Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril and Alexander Ahndoril), Oystein Karlsen, David Rysdahl, Dorothy Fortenberry, and Niclas Salomonsson also serve as executive producers, while Julie Herrin serves as co-executive producer.
Culkin’s notable credits include roles in Netflix’s Black Mirror, Swarm for Amazon, and FX’s Emmy-nominated Under the Banner of Heaven. He earned widespread acclaim for his role as David Thibodeau in Paramount Network’s Waco. He also portrayed Joel Schumacher in Ryan Murphy’s Netflix series Halston, opposite Ewan McGregor. His TV credits also include Sneaky Pete, Castle Rock, City on a Hill, The Expecting, and 50 States of Fright.
On film, Culkin received a Gotham Award nomination for his titular performance in Gabriel. He also received critical praise for his work in films such as Columbus and Lords of Chaos, both of which premiered at Sundance. Other notable films include The Last Thing Mary Saw, Materna, Scream 4, Mean Creek, and Electrick Children. Culkin lent his voice to the audio drama Outliers, earning a 2023 Ambie nomination for Best Performance in Audio Fiction.
He’ll next appear opposite Paris Jackson in the upcoming feature Skinemax, directed by Adam Sigal. Culkin is repped by Paradigm and Brookside Artist Management.
