Charlie Hunnam has landed his first TV role since Sons Of Anarchy concluded. He will star in the upcoming Apple TV+ series Shantaram. He’ll play Lin, a man evading the grips of Australian prison by forging a new identity in India. Lin begins to lose himself in the hubbub of the city, leaving behind friends and family while ingratiating himself into the city’s underworld.
The series is an adaptation of Gregory David Roberts‘ novel of the same name. 10 episodes have been ordered, and Eric Warren Singer (American Hustle) has written the show. The series is Apple TV+’s first international production. Justin Kurzel (Assassin’s Creed) will executive produce and also direct the first two episodes. His work there should set the tone for the rest of the season.
Shantaram was originally going to become a feature film in the early 2000s. Warner Bros. bought the rights to the book in 2004 for $2 million and had Johnny Depp attached to the project for a bit. The 2008 writer’s strike halted production and derailed production plans. Joel Edgerton was brought on board to star in 2013, but the novel failed to materialise as a feature film once again.
It’s smart by Apple to immediately begin focusing on non-US markets with their content. If they’re aiming to compete with Netflix, they’ll have to. We’ll wait to hear more news on the series, but the focus in the meantime turns to Apple TV+’s launch in November.
#Peace.Love.Shantaram