In real life, Chris Evans is a loving dad to his dog son Dodger. On his new Apple TV+ series, Evans is a lawyer and father trying to solve a grisly crime — one that his son Jacob (It star Jaeden Martell) may have committed.
The new trailer for Defending Jacob dropped on Wednesday, and it offers a chilling look at a family’s worst nightmare. Teenager loner Jacob is accused of murdering his classmate when a fingerprint matching Jacob’s is found at the crime scene. Jacob’s district attorney father Andy and mother Laurie (Michelle Dockery) refuse to believe Jacob is guilty, even as the entire town turns against them. As evidence piles up against his son, Andy is forced to push well beyond his lawyer boundaries to protect Jacob from a life behind bars — or worse, as the teen will be tried as an adult.
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If this sounds vaguely like the premise of Stephen King’s The Outsider, it’s unlikely that this story will throw a supernatural shapeshifter into the mix — though hey, it’s a streaming show! Anything can happen!
The series, which was created by screenwriter Mark Bomback and directed by The Imitation Game’s Morten Tyldum, is based on William Landay’s best-selling novel of the same name. It’s unclear if the TV series will have the same ending as the book, but just in case, you may want to avoid spoilers for this one: It’s juicy, and one wrong click on Wikipedia will tell you everything.
This is Evans’ first leading role on a TV series since Opposite Sex, a short-lived teen drama which also starred This Is Us actor Milo Ventimiglia. It aired for eight episodes on Fox in 2000. (You’re welcome for this incredible information.)
Apple TV+ is quickly becoming the place for crime dramas. Truth Be Told, one of Apple TV+’s first offerings, stars Octavia Spencer as a journalist and podcaster who, in the first season, attempts to uncover the truth behind a decades-old murder. The series was just renewed for a second season, which will focus on a new crime. Home Before Dark is based on journalist Hilde Lysiak, who began reporting in her small town at nine-years-old. The series, which was already renewed for a second season, will premiere on Apple TV+ April 3, 2020.
Check out the trailer for Defending Jacob below:
Defending Jacob premieres on Apple TV+ April 24, 2020.