Ed Brubaker’s Criminal picked up to series at Amazon

Last Updated on January 12, 2024

Criminal, the Eisner Award-winning graphic novel series written by Ed Brubaker and illustrated by Sean Phillips, will soon become a TV series on Prime Video.

Prime Video has given a series order to Criminal, nearly a year after it was put on the development fast-track. A writers’ room for the project was put together early last year, but the WGA strike brought development to a halt. Criminal tells “the interweaving saga of several generations of families tied together by the crimes and murders of the past.” Ed Brubaker wrote the script for the pilot and will co-showrun the series with Jordan Harper (Hightown). Both will also executive produce alongside Sean Phillips, Sarah Carbiener, Phillip Barnett, and Legendary Television.

“Criminal is a beloved graphic novel created by the most iconic team in the history of comics,” said Nick Pepper, head of U.S. SVOD wholly owned development, Amazon MGM Studios. “I know our global Prime Video customers will immediately embrace this story, and I look forward to working with Ed, Jordan, and the team to bring it to the screen.“

Brubaker added, “Sean and I have been building this world in our books for over a decade, and now to be able to bring it to life for Amazon is just incredible. And to have Amazon support the project the way they have, and show so much faith in my and Jordan’s vision for the show is even more incredible.“

Although primarily known for his work in comics, Brubaker has plenty of experience with the world of television as well. He’s worked on HBO’s Westworld and co-created Too Old to Die Young alongside Nicolas Winding Refn. He also served as the co-showrunner for Batman: Caped Crusader, the new animated series from Bruce Timm, J.J. Abrams, and Matt Reeves. He told THR last year that he jumped at the chance to work with Timm. “Here’s something few people know, but the original Batman: The Animated Series was one of the things that made me want to write superhero comics in general, and Batman in particular,” Brubaker said. “If not for what Bruce Timm and all the talented writers and artists did with that show, things like my revamp of Catwoman with Darwyn Cooke (who worked on BTAS) and Gotham Central with Greg Rucka and Michael Lark, would never have happened. So when Bruce Timm offered me the chance to come work on this new reimagining of Batman with him, James Tucker, J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves, I jumped at it.“