Jon Bernthal has built quite the impressive resume. While the actor usually leans toward movies, including roles in The Wolf of Wall Street, Baby Driver, and, more recently, Ford v Ferrari, he has also made a name for himself on TV. Most notably, he played Frank Castle in Marvel and Netflix’s The Punisher and had a stint on AMC’s The Walking Dead. Now, Bernthal is headed back to the small screen and getting his sexy on for his next big TV role.
The Punisher alum is reportedly joining the TV adaptation of American Gigolo. Per THR, Bernthal has been cast to play Julian Kaye in the Showtime series, which received an official pilot order recently. The role was originally played by Richard Gere in the 1980 movie of the same name. American Gigolo will be a modern interpretation of the very same film. It’ll follow Julian 18 years after he was framed for murder and sent to jail. After he gets out, he’ll be struggling to find his place in Los Angeles’ present-day sex industry while trying to reconnect with the woman he loves.
An American Gigolo TV adaptation was originally announced back in 2014, with Jerry Bruckheimer on board to produce and the film’s original writer-director Paul Schrader set to consult on the series. However, that was back when the show was being developed by Paramount TV. Showtime joined the studio in backing the project a couple of years ago, but the adaptation has gotten a major boost now that Jon Bernthal has joined the cast in a lead role. What’s more, Ray Donovan showrunner David Hollander is set to helm the Showtime series, so it’s in good hands.
In a statement, Showtime entertainment president Gary Levine shared his enthusiasm regarding the team assembled to bring the TV show to life. In his words:
American Gigolo comes with all the sizzle you’d expect, but it also offers a deep dive into the complicated waters of relationships and sexuality in 2020. We’ve assembled an ‘A’ team to adapt this iconic movie into a Showtime series with the talent and magnetism of Jon Bernthal, the exquisite filmmaking and showrunning of David Hollander, the legendary Jerry Bruckheimer and our new sister studio, Paramount.
It’s important to keep in mind that Showtime has yet to order American Gigolo to series. However, with Jon Bernthal on board in the titular role and several well-known names backing the project, I personally think that there’s a strong chance the show will finally make it to air. In the meantime, there’s plenty of other shows currently airing on cable and streaming services, so be sure to check out our 2020 midseason schedule for updates. For some streaming options throughout the rest of the year, check out our 2020 Netflix lineup.
