Summary
Game of Thronesstar Emilia Clarke finds a new leading TV role in Prime Video’s graphic novel adaptation,Criminal. Written by Ed Brubaker and illustrated by Sean Phillips, the Eisner Award-winning comic book series follows an interconnected universe of crime stories. Prime Video’sCriminalcomic adaptation, which was originally revealed in January 2024, has already announced several cast members, including Charlie Hunnam, Richard Jenkins, John Hawkes, Adria Arjona, Logan Browning, Kadeem Hardison, Pat Healy, Taylor Sele, Gus Halper, Aliyah Camacho, Michael Mando, Marvin Jones III, Michael Xavier, and Dominic Burgess.
Now, the show’s ensemble cast is continuing to grow with the addition of aGame of Thronesstar. According toVariety,Clarke has been cast in Prime Video’sCriminalseries in a lead role. Clarke will play the character of Mallory from the comic series.
What Emilia Clarke Has Done Since Game Of Thrones
And What To Expect From Her Role In Criminal
Clarke is, of course, best known for playingDaenerys Targaryen inGame of Thrones, a role she played for all eight seasons and that earned her four Emmy nominations for outstanding actress in a drama series, though she never won the award. WhileGame of Throneswas still airing from 2011 to 2019, and after it ended,Clarke has struggled to find a role on the level of critical and commercial acclaim she earned for playing Daenerys.
A complex character with an edge, Mallory might be Clarke’s best role since Daenerys onGame of Thrones.
WhileGame of Throneswas still on the air,Clarke starred as Sarah Connor in 2015’sTerminator Genisys, which was a critical and commercial disappointment, and asQi’ra in 2018’sSolo: A Star Wars Story, the firstStar Warsfilm to bomb at the box office. However, these failures weren’t the fault of Clarke, who, as indicated by her career-making role, can give a strong performance when she has good material to work with. The fantasy series received seven Emmy nominations for outstanding writing throughout its run.
Game of Thronesis streaming on Max.
Clarke did star in the romantic dramaMe Before You, which received mixed reviews but was a big box office success, making $208 million on a $20 million budget. SinceGame of Thronesended,she has starred in another mixed-reviewed romantic drama,Last Christmas,which was also box office success, grossing over $123 million on a $25–30 million budget.Most recently, she starred in Marvel’sSecret Invasion, based on the comics storyline of the same name, which holds the distinction of having the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score (52%) of any MCU series.
Every Major Movie Role Emilia Clarke Almost Played
As the Mother of Dragons on Game of Thrones, Emilia Clarke became one of the biggest TV actors. But did the franchise cost her some major movie roles?
In Prime Video’sCriminalseries, Clarke will take on the role of Mallory, a cunning and audacious armed robber who is equally quick with a gun as she is with her wits. The character is a member of a heist team alongside Ricky Lawless (played by Halper), with whom she shares an intense romance reminiscent of Bonnie and Clyde. Additionally, Mallory harbors secrets that could endanger her and her entire team. A complex character with an edge,Mallory might be Clarke’s best role since Daenerys onGame of Thrones.
Who Else Is Starring In Prime Video’s Criminal
And Who They Are Playing
Prime Video’sCriminalseries, with Brubaker serving as co-showrunner, will follow an interconnected universe of crime stories. Each story arc in the comic series focuses on a different character and their experiences, some of which also include Tracy Lawless, Teeg Lawless, Gnarly, and Danica Briggs. These storylines often revolve around heists, double-crosses, and the gritty, morally ambiguous underworld of crime. The comic series serves as a contemplation of the conventions found within the crime genre itself, while still maintaining a sense of realism and believability.
The first series of theCriminalcomic book, titledCoward, follows a pickpocket, Leo Patterson, who becomes involved in an armored car heist that turns out to be much more complicated than it initially seems.Sons of Anarchy’s Charlie Hunnamwill play Leo, while Richard Jenkins, an Oscar- and Emmy-nominated character actor, will play Ivan, an aging criminal whose dementia has rendered him incapable of performing any illegal activities. Ivan also acts as an uncle figure to Leo, who attempts to take care of him, but discovers it is much more than he can handle.
Emilia Clarke
Mallory
Adria Arjona (Andor,Hit Man)was cast as Greta, a highly skilled car thief and getaway driver. After her husband is killed in a botched bank robbery, Greta struggles to leave the criminal life behind her, but with one last big score, she believes she can start a brand-new life with her daughter. The Oscar-nominated John Hawkes was cast as Sebastian Hyde, a tough gambling club owner whose health has recently declined due to a severe stroke. Furthermore, Pat Healy will play Seymour, a member of Leo’s crew, and Taylor Selé will play the strict manager of Sebastian’s gambling establishment.
Source:Variety
Criminal
Based on the comic series, Criminal is an action crime series developed by Ed Brubaker and Jordan Harper for Prime Video. This adaptation follows various characters within and adjacent to a bustling criminal underworld and comprises several arcs that occasionally intersect. The series was greenlit by Amazon in 2024.
