Emmy-winning actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II will star in and executive produce Netflix’s upcoming series Man on Fire, an adaptation of AJ Quinnell’s book series of the same name.
The eight-episode drama series will be directed by Steven Caple Jr., who will also executive produce. Caple Jr. is known for his work on Creed II and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.
Abdul-Mateen II will take on the role of John Creasy, a former high-functioning and skilled Special Forces mercenary who is now plagued with intense PTSD. Creasy is determined to overcome his personal demons and sets out on a path to redemption. However, before he can adjust to this new life, he finds himself back in the fight, battling harder than ever.
The series is based on the first two books in Quinnell’s five-book series: Man on Fire and The Perfect Kill. The character of Creasy was previously played by Denzel Washington in Tony Scott’s 2004 film adaptation of Man on Fire. The novel was first adapted for the screen in 1987, with Scott Glenn in the lead role.
Quinnell, the pen name of English writer Philip Nicholson, wrote five Creasy novels in total before his death in 2005. The Netflix series will explore Creasy’s story beyond the first film adaptation, continuing into the events of The Perfect Kill, in which Creasy’s wife and child are killed in a terrorist bombing, and he seeks revenge on the perpetrators.
In addition to his Emmy-winning role as Cal Abar/Dr. Manhattan in HBO’s Watchmen, Abdul-Mateen II’s previous TV credits include Netflix’s The Get Down, episodes of Black Mirror and The Handmaid’s Tale, and the upcoming Marvel series Wonder Man. He has also appeared in films such as Aquaman, The Matrix Resurrections, Candyman, and Ambulance.
Other executive producers on the series include Arnon Milchan, Yariv Milchan, Natalie Lehmann, Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, Tracey Cook, Scott Pennington, Ed McDonnell, Michael Polaire, and Stacy Perskie.
A release date for the series has not yet been announced.
Author:
