JuicyTalk
Emilia Clarke has been cast as one of the leads in Prime Video‘s upcoming crime thriller, which has the potential to become her best TV show since Game of Thrones. After Game of Thrones‘ ending in 2019, Emilia Clarke has starred in myriad movies and TV shows. Among these, her role as G’iah in Secret Invasion was arguably the most high-profile, but the Marvel series failed to live up to expectations.
Earlier this year, Emilia Clarke also led the cast of Peacock’s spy thriller, Ponies. The show premiered to almost unanimous acclaim from critics and boasts an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 94%. Unfortunately, despite its acclaim, the show has already been canceled after just one season.
Fortunately, it is not the only crime thriller Emilia Clarke is a part of. Prime Video is adapting Ed Brubaker’s acclaimed Criminal comics, and Clarke has been cast to play one of the leading roles in the show’s first season. Early details from the show suggest it is one of Prime Video’s most ambitious crime thrillers from recent years and could potentially give Clarke a new small screen hit.
Emilia Clark Stars In Prime Video’s Adaptation Of Criminal Comics
Prime Video is adapting Criminal, which is an Eisner Award-winning graphic novel series created by writer Ed Brubaker and artist Sean Phillips. The comic book series creates an interwoven criminal universe, where several families are generationally linked to one another through everything from murders to betrayals.
The comic book adaptation seems incredibly ambitious because the original author, Ed Brubake, is its co-showrunner. Prime Video’s Criminal also boasts an ensemble cast that includes Charlie Hunnam, Luke Evans, Gus Harper, John Hawkes, Richard Jenkins, and Emilia Clarke, among others.
Emilia Clarke will portray one of the leads, Mallory, in the show’s season 1. Her character is a part of a high-stakes heist crew and in a passionate relationship with Ricky Lawless (played by Gus Halper). Her characterization alone suggests she will have far more room to put her acting forte on display than many of the roles she has taken on since Game of Thrones.
With Ed Brubaker directly involved as co-showrunner and the source material already renowned for its layered storytelling, Prime Video’s Criminal could finally give Clarke the prestige television role many have been waiting to see her in. While Criminal does not have a confirmed release window yet, it is expected to premiere towards the end of 2026 or early 2027.
Criminal Can Make Up For Ponies’ Disappointing Cancellation
Peacock’s Ponies perfectly showcased Emilia Clarke’s sharp comedic timing and ability to lead a gripping spy thriller alongside Haley Lu Richardson. Unfortunately, despite landing in critics’ good books, the show was cut short after just one season. Ponies could have become Clarke’s return to form on the small screen after Game of Thrones, which has made its cancellation even more disappointing.
Fortunately, Prime Video’s Criminal has the potential to be far bigger in scope and reach than Ponies. Prime Video is not only a relatively bigger streaming platform but also has an established history of delivering some of the best modern crime thriller adaptations, like Reacher, Cross, and Bosch.
The streamer’s established audience in the genre could give Criminal a much stronger launch, while the graphic novel’s interconnected storytelling gives it the potential to evolve into a long-running franchise.
The Prime Video series also gives Emilia Clarke the opportunity to diversify her acting portfolio by playing a more morally complex and unapologetic archetype. Hopefully, Criminal will not meet the same fate as Ponies and prove to be Emilia Clarke‘s biggest TV outing since Game of Thrones.
