Legendary British actor Hugh Laurie is set to captivate audiences once again, this time as a vengeful crime boss in a major new series for Apple TV+. The star, famed for his role as the villainous Richard Roper in the BBC's The Night Manager, is leaving that world behind to headline the high-stakes thriller The Wanted Man.
From Roper to Carmichael: Laurie's New Criminal Empire
In The Wanted Man, the 66-year-old Laurie will portray Felix Carmichael, a powerful crime lord who has run the infamous organisation The Capital for twenty years. The official synopsis reveals that after Carmichael is imprisoned, he discovers he has been betrayed from within. The series will follow his plot to break out of jail, seek revenge, and restore his criminal empire to its former glory.
The eight-episode project is currently in post-production and has been created by George Kay, the mind behind the hit series Hijack. While no official release date has been set, industry reports suggest the show could launch on the streaming platform around May 2026.
A Stellar Supporting Cast Joins the Fray
Laurie will not be carrying this dramatic weight alone. He is joined by an impressive ensemble of co-stars, led by Thandiwe Newton, the acclaimed star of Westworld and Mission: Impossible. The supporting cast features several other notable names from British and international television and film.
The confirmed cast includes:
- Stephen Dillane (Game of Thrones)
- Hazel Doupe (Say Nothing)
- Fionn Whitehead (Dunkirk)
The Night Manager Legacy and Laurie's Continued Role
The announcement of Laurie's new project comes as interest resurfaces in the role that redefined his dramatic career a decade ago. His performance as arms dealer Richard Roper in the 2016 BBC thriller The Night Manager, opposite Tom Hiddleston and Olivia Colman, left a lasting impression on viewers.
The show has recently returned for a second season, but with a significant twist for Laurie's character: Roper was killed off-screen. Laurie makes a brief appearance in the first episode via a dream sequence but is not part of the ongoing narrative.
However, the actor remains connected to the franchise behind the scenes, serving as an executive producer on the new season alongside Tom Hiddleston. This allows him to focus his on-screen energies on building a new criminal legacy as Felix Carmichael in The Wanted Man.
For fans of sophisticated, tense thrillers and Laurie's commanding screen presence, The Wanted Man on Apple TV+ is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated releases of 2026.
