The forthcoming television adaptation of John Grisham’sThe Rainmakerhas cast a new series regular in the same role once played by Claire Danes. Based on Grisham’s 1995 novel of the same name, the USA Network television adaptation will follow on the heels of the 1997 movie helmed by veteran filmmakerFrancis Ford Coppola. Featuring an all-star cast that included the likes of Matt Damon, Jon Voight, Mickey Rourke, and Danny DeVito, the original movie centered on a young law school graduate who finds himself embroiled in a courtroom battle far beyond his meager experience.
PerDeadline,The Rainmakertelevision adaptation hascastBodkinstar Robyn Cara in Danes’ former role as Kelly Riker. Previous casting announcements include Milo Callaghan (Doctor Who, The Strangers)as Rudy Baylor, the role previously played by Damon, whileMadmenand MCU star John Slattery is set to tackle Voight’s role as the experienced defense attorney Leo Drummond. Other cast members include Madison Iseman (I Know What You Did Last Summer), Lana Parrilla (Once Upon a Time), and P.J. Byrne (The Wolf of Wall Street).
How Will The Rainmaker Show Compare To The Movie?
The Show’s Cast Already Points To A Vastly Different Take
Despite boasting an impressive cast, backed by the instant name recognition of both Coppola and Grisham,The Rainmakermovie was a box office disappointment for Paramount Pictures. Earning only $45.9 million against an original budget of $45 million, the movie’s commercial response was a far cry from the considerable box office success enjoyed by otherJohn Grisham movies, such asThe FirmandThe Pelican Brief. Whether USA Network’s new television adaptation will fare any better remains to be seen, butits casting announcements already point to several key differences.
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In the original movie, Danes’ role as the battered wifeKelly Riker ultimately serves as the key love interest for Damon’s character. The pair have a tumultuous relationship that reaches a satisfying development by the end ofThe Rainmaker, and one would expect that to continue in the show. However, this dynamic would appear to be complicated by the show’s addition of Rudy’s former law school girlfriend, Sarah Plankmore (Iseman). While a key character in Grisham’s original book, Coppola had opted to leave her out of his movie entirely.
Whether these changes will serve to help or hinder USA Network’s new television adaptation is unclear, though the project is already shaping up to be notably different from its big-screen predecessor.
Another interesting point of departure lies in Parrilla’s casting as Rudy’s boss, Jocelyn “Bruiser” Stone. A brash “ambulance chaser” previously played by Rourke,The Rainmakertelevision series will instead see Parrilla heading up the strip-mall-based lawfirm once established by her disgraced father. Whether these changes will serve to help or hinder USA Network’s new television adaptation is unclear, though the project is already shaping up to be notably different from its big-screen predecessor.
