Stephen Graham takes the lead role in Apple TV+’s new thriller series, Lazarus.
Tom Hardy is no longer attached to star in Apple TV+’s upcoming thriller series Lazarus.
Earlier reports from Deadline had revealed that Hardy was close to securing the lead role, with the project said to be in the final stages of negotiation.
Keep reading to find out everything we know about the series so far, including the new lead actor.
What is Lazarus about?
The drama centers on Jonah Lynn, a former soldier turned homicide detective, who relocates to a small town in Western Pennsylvania seeking a peaceful life after growing weary of the harsh streets of Philadelphia.
According to Deadline, the story continues: “When Jonah’s town and family are threatened by the sinister serial killer Jurek Walter, he must do whatever it takes to protect them. As the search for Jurek’s final missing victim intensifies, Jonah’s adopted daughter, FBI Agent Saga Bauer, is forced to confront the killer—pushing Jonah to question just how far he’s willing to go.”
During the early development of the series, the characters of Agent Bauer and Jurek were likened to a “Hannibal Lecter–Clarice Starling” dynamic, hinting at a tense and gripping relationship between them.
Filming is scheduled to begin this summer in Pittsburgh, although an official release date has not been announced yet.
Who stars in Lazarus?
Stephen Graham has been confirmed to take over the role previously linked to Tom Hardy.
Known for his recent work in Netflix’s Adolescence and Disney+’s A Thousand Blows, Graham will portray the infamous serial killer Jurek Walter in the series, which is adapted from the Joona Linna novels by Lars Kepler.
He stars alongside Liev Schreiber (The Perfect Couple, Ray Donovan), who plays Jonah Lynn, and Zazie Beetz (Atlanta, Deadpool 2), who takes on the role of FBI Agent Saga Bauer.
What was Tom Hardy’s connection to the show?
In 2023, Deadline reported that Tom Hardy was set to star as the Hannibal Lecter-like serial killer, Jurek Walter.
However, the reasons behind his departure from the project remain unclear.
Baker, who co-owns the company with his longtime producing partner Dean Baker, was initially set to produce the series.
However, recent updates show that Lazarus will now be produced for Apple TV+ by A+E Studios in collaboration with Range Studio.
Tom Hardy: 5 top roles
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
Amongst a huge cast, Tom stood out playing Ricki Tarr, a low-level field agent who happens to be quite the charmer.
Locke (2013)
Tom plays British construction manager Ivan Locke, and the entire film is a shot of him sitting at the wheel of his car, talking to important people on his mobile.
The Revenant (2015)
Tom Hardy’s first Academy Award nomination was for his role as Fitzgerald, the villainous trapper, alongside Leonardo DiCaprio.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Action star, Max Rockatansky, was a big shoe for Tom to fill, but he made the character his own.
Legend (2015)
Tom plays the Kray twins in this crime epic drama about the famous, notorious real-life gangsters.
Rowan Joffe and John Hlavin will co-showrun and executive produce the series, with Tim Van Patten directing the first two episodes and also serving as an executive producer.
Additionally, lead actors Liev Schreiber and Zazie Beetz will receive executive producer credits on the show.