AT&T AUDIENCE Network has cast for its new original series, the Stephen King adaptation Mr. Mercedes. The new series from Sonar Entertainment will premiere 10 hour-long episodes, which are currently in production in Charleston, South Carolina.
TV veterans David E. Kelley (Boston Legal, Ally McBeal, The Practice) has written the adaptation, while Jack Bender (Lost, Under the Dome, Game of Thrones) will direct. The duo will serve as executive producers, along with Temple Hill Entertainment’s Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey.
The series will premiere later this year on AUDIENCE Network exclusively on DIRECTV, AT&T U-verse, and DIRECTV NOW.
Leading the Mr. Mercedes cast are Brendan Gleeson (Harry Potter) as Detective Bill Hodges, Harry Treadaway (Penny Dreadful) as Brady Hartsfield, Kelly Lynch (Magic City) as Deborah Hartsfield, Jharrel Jerome (Moonlight) as Jerome Robinson, Scott Lawrence (Avatar) as Detective Peter Dixon, Robert Stanton (Mercury Rising) as Anthony “Robi” Frobisher, Breeda Wool (Unreal) as Lou Linklatter, Justine Lupe (Francis Ha) as Holly Gibney, and Ann Cusack (Nightcrawler) as Olivia Trelawney, with Mary Louise-Parker (Weeds) as Janey Patterson, and Holland Taylor (The Truman Show) as Ida Silver.
Mr. Mercedes follows a demented killer Brady Hartsfield (Treadaway) who taunts a retired police detective Bill Hodges (Gleeson) with a series of lurid letters and emails, forcing the ex-cop to undertake a private, and potentially felonious, crusade to bring the killer to justice before he is able to strike again.
“‘Mr. Mercedes’ is a captivating new series featuring a stellar cast, and produced and directed by 2 industry stalwarts in David E. Kelley and Jack Bender,” said Christopher Long, head of AUDIENCE Network. “This is exactly the kind of trifecta AUDIENCE constantly seeks in original television productions which we believe resonates with our viewers.”
“With excellent source material, a world-class production team and a first-rate cast, all of the pieces are in place to ensure success,” said Thomas Lesinski, CEO of Sonar Entertainment. “We are confident that this series will appeal to a broad audience in the United States and in international territories around the world.”
“It’s an extraordinary cast that’s come together,” said Kelley. “To be able to work with an ensemble of such high caliber actors, led by Brendan Gleeson…this is such a privilege.”
Mr. Mercedes, which King describes as his first hard-boiled detective tale, was published by Scribner in June 2014. Mr. Mercedes became an immediate No. 1 New York Times best-seller upon its release. Shortly after the release of the novel, King announced that Mr. Mercedes was the first of a projected trilogy. The second novel, Finders Keepers, was published by Scribner in June 2015 and the third novel, End of Watch, was published by Scribner in June 2016.
