David E. Kelley’s series adaptation of Mr. Mercedes is moving forward.

The forthcoming AT&T Audience Network drama has tapped Penny Dreadful grad Harry Treadaway to replace the late Anton Yelchin, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

Mr. Mercedes, based on Stephen King’s 2014 book of the same name, follows a demented killer who taunts a retired police detective with a series of lurid letters and emails, forcing the ex-cop to undertake a private, and potentially felonious, crusade to bring the killer to justice before he is able to strike again.

Treadaway will play Brady Hartsfield, a mentally deranged ice cream truck driver and IT worker who is secretly the Mercedes Killer. He will star opposite Brendan Gleeson, who will portray Detective Bill Hodges, a retired cop driven out of retirement when an old nemesis reappears.

The adaptation received a straight-to-series order in May with Yelchin and Gleeson attached. However, the Star Trek actor was tragically killed in a car accident the following month. He was 27 years old.

Kelley will serve as showrunner on the series, which is being produced by Sonar Entertainment. Jack Bender (Lost) is set to direct. The duo will executive produce with Temple Hill Entertainment’s Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey. Mr. Mercedes is slated for a 2018 debut on DirecTV and AT&T U-verse.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

The 10-episode straight-to-series drama is based on the Stephen King best-seller and hails from showrunner David E. Kelley. The Sonar-produced project will premiere in 2018.

AT&T’s Audience Network is adding another high-profile scripted drama to its roster.

The home of originals including Kingdom has handed out a 10-episode straight-to-series order for David E. Kelley’s adaptation of Stephen King’s Mr. Mercedes, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

Brendan Gleeson and Anton Yelchin have been tapped to star in the project produced by Sonar Entertainment. Mr. Mercedes will premiere in 2018 on both DirecTV and AT&T Uverse.

Mr. Mercedes centers on a demented killer who taunts a retired police detective with a series of lurid letters and emails, forcing the ex-cop to undertake a private, and potentially felonious, crusade to bring the killer to justice before he can strike again. Gleeson will play Detective Bill Hodges, a retired cop who is driven out of retirement after an old nemesis reappears, while Yelchin will portray Brady Hartsfield, a mentally deranged ice cream truck driver and IT worker for Cyber Patrol (aka Geek Squad) who is secretly the Mercedes Killer.

Source: Hollywood Reporter