Apple TV+ is adapting the New York Times bestselling novel by Scott Turow titled Presumed Innocent! That means we are going to see Jake Gyllenhaal take on an iconic role famously once played by Harrison Ford. Time to revisit the Alan J. Pakula film now!
The 1990 film was adapted from the novel and took us into the case against Rusty Sabich, a prosecutor who finds himself on the stand when he is accused of murdering his former colleague and mistress, Carolyn Polhemus (Greta Scacchi). The appeal of a story like Presumed Innocent was having a lawyer in the hot seat.
The new series is written by David E. Kelley, Sharr White, and Miki Johnson. Both White and Kelley are serving as executive producers on the show. Knowing that David E. Kelley is there, the man responsible for shows like Ally McBeal? I’m instantly in!
While we don’t know if the show will be a completely faithful adaptation of the novel, we do know a little bit about what to expect from the new series.
The synopsis is very familiar
There are some changes you can make to a story like Presumed Innocent but for the most part, an audience is coming in expecting certain aspects of the story to be the same. From what we do know of the Apple TV+ series, it does feel like a pretty faithful adaptation.
The synopsis for the series, via the press site, is as follows: “Presumed Innocent is an eight-episode limited series starring and executive produced by Jake Gyllenhaal, hailing from David E. Kelley and executive producer J.J. Abrams and is based on the New York Times bestselling novel of the same name by Scott Turow. Starring Gyllenhaal in the lead role of chief deputy prosecutor Rusty Sabich, the series takes viewers on a gripping journey through the horrific murder that upends the Chicago Prosecuting Attorney’s office when one of its own is suspected of the crime. The series explores obsession, sex, politics, and the power and limits of love, as the accused fights to hold his family and marriage together.”
What a cast!
With Jake Gyllenhaal leading the charge, fans can expect an all-star cast to back him up. My interest in this series may have started with Gyllenhaal playing a role Harrison Ford knocked out of the park but I got even more excited when I saw who would be joining him in telling Turow’s story.
The rest of the amazing cast also includes Ruth Negga, Bill Camp, Elizabeth Marvel, Peter Sarsgaard, O-T Fagbenle, and Renate Reinsve.
A summer hit for your soul
Currently, we have to wait until June to see Presumed Innocent. With a release date set for June 14, that’s a long time to wait—but Apple TV+ does have a surprising number of great shows to tide us over.
(featured image: Apple TV+)
