Amazon’s upcoming Criminal is yet another example of the world’s e-commerce leader taking the acquisition path.
While the Netflix and Hulu streaming platforms of the world are tackling original content that misfires more often than not, Amazon is buying up the popular competition.
As a result, Criminal, a popular comic book series of self-contained story arcs, is on the way.
When most people hear the word “comic,” they imaginatively conjure images of soaring superheroes in skin-tight outfits.
Criminal, however, falls into an altogether different category of comics that explore realistic themes and narratives.
In this case, it’s the fictional universe of 1970s Central City.
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As the name implies, the original story (Volume 1) follows Leo Patterson, a pickpocket thief who the comic’s creators label a coward. If nothing else, this will be an interesting character study, to say the least.
Amazon has plenty of content to draw from, including multiple volumes, semi-spin-offs, anniversary specials, and special editions.
Much of the existing content doesn’t revolve around Leo Patterson, so it will be interesting to see the show’s ultimate direction, assuming it is successful.
Amazon’s Criminal won’t be hitting the small screen anytime soon, however.
So it’s anyone’s guess how the show will turn out and whether or not it will be successful. In the meantime, here’s what we know for certain.
Amazon’s Criminal looks, at least so far, like it will follow the storyline of the original series, which was released in October of 2006.
We know this because of the cast announcements associated with characters in the comics.
With Leo Patterson in the conversation, the first season should cover his character arc.
However, it’s important to remember that there are several self-contained story arcs across the Criminal universe, and Leo Patterson is not always the focal point.
Is it possible for Amazon to tell a story from one of the later volumes? Sure.
But Leo looks to be the main character, and that points to the first series.
In the comics, Leo is a criminal prodigy capable of devising complex tactics on the fly, at least when it comes to pulling off a score.
He also has a reputation for being cowardly.
From the start, Leo has taken a step back from the major gigs, thanks to a job that went south 5 years prior.
He’s basically a local pickpocket and takes care of a heroin-abusing Alzheimer’s sufferer (that should be an interesting character to pull off).
Because there has to be an inciting event to kick things off, eventually, Leo is convinced to team up for some armored car larceny with over $5 million on the line.
After all, Amazon took a lot of heat for going off on the wrong tangent with The Wheel of Time and The Rings of Power, misinterpreting one and outright tossing the source material for the other.
As a result, The Wheel of Time season 02 saw a 60% drop in viewership, while only 37% of viewers bothered finishing the first season of The Rings of Power.
As of now, there is no set number of episodes for Criminal, and filming hasn’t started either.
However, Fallout, The Wheel of Time, and Rings of Power all kicked things off with eight-episode seasons, so it stands to reason that Criminal will start with the same.
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It’s rare to see anything new released with over 10 episodes.
The days when even the best shows featured 20+ episodes in a single season are long behind us.
Viewership patterns, the existence of streaming platform models that rely on condensing rather than expanding, ballooning budgets, and various network strategies have led to fewer episodes.
Since filming is still weeks or months away, there are no trailers for Criminal — only guesses, innuendo, and gossip.
Once upon a time, there were no trailers for small screen projects, only small adverts mixed in with other commercials based on the network currently on your TV screen.
Fortunately, times are changing, and trailers for upcoming shows are almost as prevalent as upcoming theatrical releases.
There are no expectations for a Criminal trailer until sometime in 2025.
Charlie Hunnam is one of the most recent cast announcements, and he will fill the shoes of Leo Patterson.
However, he’s not the only one, and the quality of the other cast members is increasing the show’s appeal.
The additions of Emilia Clark, Luke Evans, and Charlie Hunnam bring some real star power and recognition to an otherwise highly talented group.
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The primary showrunners are also tapped, with Ed Brubaker (the writer of the original comic series) and Jordan Harper on board. Ed Brubaker may not be a household name, but he’s one of the creative minds behind Winter Soldier, Westworld, and Batman Caped Crusader.
Jordan Harper is the more experienced of the two, with The Mentalist, High Town, Gotham, and She Rides Shotgun.
Unfortunately, without a trailer and with no film time in the books, there’s no way of knowing exactly when Amazon’s Criminal will premiere. Sometime in 2025 is a fairly safe bet.
Sure, it doesn’t say a whole lot. After all, “sometime” in 2025 is 365 days of guesswork.
But, considering the filming process for an 8-episode series, comparable histories of various shows on Amazon, and less likelihood that a lot of big-time CG is necessary, doesn’t place the premiere beyond 2025.
Things happen all the time, however, such as the pandemic and the recent writer strike.
It’s always a good idea to hope for the best and prepare for the worst, especially if you are really excited about the premiere.
Is Amazon’s Criminal on your must-watch list, or are you familiar with the comics?
Whether you’re looking forward to it or not, let us know in the comments, along with what you’re excited to see in the near future!
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