There is no shortage of legal and crime thrillers on TV these days, but there’s always room for more. Before we reach the halfway point of the 2024 TV calendar, we’ll be treated to another show that falls into that category when Presumed Innocent, which stars Jake Gyllenhaal, becomes available for anyone with an Apple TV+ subscription.
If this is the first you’re hearing about the new show, don’t worry, because we’re about to break down everything we know about the upcoming crime series at this point. With information on the plot, the cast, the decorated creative team behind the project, and details about its source material, there’s a lot to cover. That being said, let’s dive into Presumed Innocent.
What Is The Presumed Innocent Premiere Date?
There are a lot of big shows coming to Apple TV+ this year, and Presumed Innocent will join that list when it premieres Friday, June 12th. The premiere date was revealed in February when the streaming platform released a rundown of its new and returning shows, which also included the upcoming Dark Matter TV show, which has been one of the streamer’s most anticipated new titles for quite some time.
Presumed Innocent Follows A Chicago Prosecutor As He Becomes The Prime Suspect In A High-Profile Murder Case
Presumed Innocent will follow Rusty Sabich (Jake Gyllenhaal), a promising Chicago prosecutor who becomes the prime suspect in a case revolving around the murder of someone from his office. Attempting to clear his name while also keeping his family and life from falling apart, the chief deputy prosecutor will be forced to do anything and everything to prove that he is, in fact, innocent.
The Presumed Innocent Teaser Introduces A Cheating Husband And Suspected Murderer
In May 2024, a little more than a month before the limited series' premiere, Apple TV+ released the first Presumed Innocent trailer in the form of a one-minute teaser. A lot is packed into the brief video, including scenes of Jake Gyllenhaal's character taking part in a steamy affair and a murder investigation after his mistress is found dead.
Though the trailer shows off a great number of characters (more on them next), it doesn't spend too much time with any of them besides Gyllenhaal's Rusty Sabich as he comes to terms with his infidelity and the death of his lover. Hopefully, we'll get a full Presumed Innocent trailer in the weeks leading up to the show's June 12th premiere.
Jake Gyllenhaal Leads The Presumed Innocent Cast
When Presumed Innocent starts streaming, it will feature an outstanding cast that is talented through and through. Let’s take a look at the actors who’ll be bringing this thriller to life on the small screen.
Jake Gyllenhaal (Rusty Sabich)
Jake Gyllenhaal leads the Presumed Innocent cast as Rusty Sabich, the chief deputy prosecuting attorney at the center of the murder investigation. Though Gyllenhaal has spent the past 30 years appearing in movies like Brokeback Mountain, Nightcrawler, and Spider-Man: Far From Home, this will be his first major TV role.
Ruth Negga (Barbara Sabich)
As reported by Deadline in early 2023, Ruth Negga will appear on Presumed Innocent as Jake Gyllenhaal’s on-screen wife, Barbara Sabich. Negga has worked extensively on TV over the years, including runs on Preacher, Misfits, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Bill Camp (Raymond Horgan)
One of the all-time great character actors, Bill Camp, will be playing Raymond Horgan, Rusty Sabich’s boss when the new crime thriller premieres. The actor best known for roles on shows like The Outsider, The Queen’s Gambit, and The Leftovers, joined the case in early 2023, per Deadline.
Elizabeth Marvel (Lorraine Horgan)
Elizabeth Marvel will join her real-life husband, Bill Camp, on Presumed Innocent where she will take on the role of Lorraine Horgan, Raymond’s wife. In addition to appearing on several shows in the Law & Order universe, Marvel has also worked on shows like Lights Out, Homeland, and Mrs. Davis.
Peter Sarsgaard (Tommy Molto)
In February 2023, Deadline reported that Peter Sarsgaard had joined the Presumed Innocent cast as Tommy Molto, the prosecutor pushing to convict Rusty of murder. Sarsgaard has a long list of TV credits that include The Killing, The Looming Tower, and most recently, Dopesick.
O-T Fagbenle (Nico Della Guardia)
O-T Fagbenle will appear in Presumed Innocent as Nico Della Guardia, an ambitious politician using the murder for his own gain. Fagbenle, who was announced by Deadline along with Sarsgaard and Renate Reinsve, is best known for shows like Looking, The Handmaid’s Tale, and The First Lady.
Renate Reinsve (Carolyn Polhemus)
Renate Reinsve will show up on Presumed Innocent as Carolyn Polhemus, the Chicago prosecutor whose gruesome murder is at the center of the series. Reinsve has appeared in movies like The Worst Person in the World and Handling the Undead.
Presumed Innocent Is Based On Scott Turow’s Novel Of The Same Name
If the title, Presumed Innocent, as well as its premise, sound familiar, it could have something to do with the fact that the upcoming Apple TV+ series is based on Scott Turow’s crime novel of the same name. Upon its initial release back in 1987, the novel set a record for paperback book deals, with The New York Times reporting that Warner Books bought the rights for $3 million.
Three years later, Alan J. Pakula directed a big-screen adaptation of Presumed Innocent, which saw Harrison Ford take on the role of Rusty Sabich. One of Ford’s best movies, the 1990 thriller was a massive hit with critics and audiences alike and brought in $221 million, per BoxOfficeMojo.
Presumed Innocent Was Created By The Lincoln Lawyer’s David E. Kelley
This latest version of Presumed Innocent was created by David E. Kelley, the prolific TV writer and producer best known for spearheading some of the biggest legal dramas and crime thrillers to ever hit the small screen. Shows like The Lincoln Lawyer, The Practice, Ally McBeal, and Big Little Lies, have all featured Kelley’s work and allowed him to pull from his real-life work as a lawyer.
For his efforts, Kelley has earned 11 Primetime Emmy Awards over the years, and Presumed Innocent could very well add another trophy to that list.
What Is Presumed Innocent’s Rating?
Apple TV+ has announced that Presumed Innocent will be rated TV-MA, which isn’t all that surprising, considering the series will focus on the gruesome murder and everything that comes with it.
How Many Episodes Is Presumed Innocent?
Presumed Innocent is a limited series consisting of eight episodes. We don’t yet know the runtime for each of those chapters or if the whole series will be released at once, but expect to hear more ahead of its premiere.
We’re very close to the premiere of Presumed Innocent, but there are still a few things we don’t know about the series. While we wait, check out our rundown of all the other upcoming book-to-screen adaptations set to come out this year.
