Hugh Laurie’s prison-break series from the creator of Lupin starts on Apple TV on 6 January
Apple TV has set a date for The Wanted Man: Hugh Laurie’s crime boss series from Lupin creator George Kay starts on 6 January 2027.
Right, Apple TV+ has just dropped some first details about its next big bet for 2027: The Wanted Man, starring none other than Hugh Laurie in a lead role. Yes, the same Hugh Laurie who left half the world convinced they've got rare illnesses after bingeing House. Not just starring this time, though — he's also producing. So if it turns out brilliant, he gets at least half the credit.
The Wanted Man lands on Apple TV+ 6 January 2027, kicking off with two episodes right out the gate.
The team behind the curtain
So, who’s steering the ship? George Kay is at the centre — the bloke behind Netflix’s Hijack and Lupin, and frankly, he knows how to get people glued to their screens. He’s not only created the new show, he’s writing and running things as showrunner as well. It’s a busy production bench: Kay is producing via Observatory Pictures along with New Pictures (yes, that’s the actual name). Executive producing with him: Willow Grylls (The Missing alum) and Matt Sandford. With David Meanti handling the producer duties, and Jakob Verbruggen — he last did Dark Matter — in the director’s chair, it’s basically a group project with premium CVs all round.
The first season of The Wanted Man clocks in at eight episodes, with the launch seeing two episodes at once and then new instalments every Wednesday. That sets up the finale to air on 17 February 2027, unless someone gets clever with the schedule. Nice, predictable weekly drip-feed – just enough to keep people complaining online, I suppose.
The plot (and who’s in the cast)
Here’s the setup: Hugh Laurie plays Felix Carmichael, top dog of a crime syndicate, living the wrong side of the law for two decades before it all goes pear-shaped. Someone inside his own crew turns on him, Carmichael ends up in the notorious Staplehurst Prison, and his life’s empire is being smashed to bits by a mystery traitor back on the outside. So he does what all TV masterminds do: launches a revenge plan, with step one being a prison break. All very old-school villain, with a hint of the British stoicism you’d expect from Laurie.
Casting is packed but secretive. Alongside Laurie you’ve got:
- Thandiwe Newton from Westworld
- Fionn Whitehead (Dunkirk)
- Gina McKee (My Policeman)
- Hazel Doupe (Say Nothing)
- Elliott Heffernan (Blitz)
- Stephen Dillane, who impressed in Game of Thrones
What’s curious, though, is they’re keeping everyone’s roles entirely under wraps for now. So if you’re guessing who’s in Laurie's corner and who’s sharpening the knives, you’ll have to wait for the usual trickle of casting spoilers or just tune in on day one.
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