The wait is finally over! Fans have been anxiously awaiting for details on Chris Evans’ newest project, the limited drama series headed to AppleTV+ Defending Jacob, since filming began in spring of 2019 and they’ve finally arrived straight from the TCA 2020 Convention.
A gripping, character-driven thriller based on the best-selling novel of the same name.
Defending Jacob, a new limited drama series starring @ChrisEvans, premieres April 24, exclusively on Apple TV+. pic.twitter.com/A91tkGQ2z9— Apple TV (@AppleTV) January 19, 2020
Defending Jacob, the 2012 New York Times bestselling novel written by William Landay, follows a family in a Massachusetts suburb after their 14-year-old son, Jacob, is accused of murdering a classmate. Andy Barber, a successful DA for the city, is suddenly stuck between a battle of damning evidence and the drive to protect his child. Defending Jacob takes us on a journey of legality, genetics, willpower, and the fine line that can separate innocence and guilt. The novel is filled with engrossing twists and shocking turns, ripping every theory you form to shreds, but none are more shocking than the end. Nothing is predictable, and despite finding a home in an already crowded genre, it stands alone as a story above the rest.
It’s no doubt this role was created for Evans, a Massachusetts native himself. It will truly showcase his talent and range as a performer coming off of his eight year tenure as the morally upholding Steve Rogers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Andy Barber may appear cool and collected on the outside, but deep down he holds dark secrets of his own that come to light despite how hard he tried to bury them from his family, coworkers, and even himself. Starring alongside Evans are Jaeden Martell (Knives Out, Low Tide) as Jacob, and Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey) as Laurie Barber, Andy’s wife. Betty Gabriel will play Paula Duffy (Paul Duffy in the novel), Andy’s longtime colleague and friend and Pablo Schreiber joins as Neal Logiudice, a prosecutor who learned from the best — Andy himself.
In addition to playing the role of Andy Barber, Evans is an executive producer on the series alongside Mark Bomback — the creator and screenwriter. The series will span eight episodes and premiere April 24 exclusively on Apple TV+ with three episodes dropping that day and the remaining each subsequent Friday.
