USA Network’s upcoming television adaptation ofThe Rainmakerhas added aWalking Deadalum to its growing cast lineup. Based on the 1995 novel of the same name by best-selling author John Grisham, the story was previously adapted as amovie starring Matt Damonand Claire Danes. Most recently,Bodkinstar Robyn Cara was announced in the role of Kelly Riker, the character previously played by Danes. Meanwhile, Milo Callaghan (Doctor Who, The Strangers) is set to take over Damon’s role as Rudy Baylor, a young law school graduate who finds himself involved in a major courtroom battle.
PerDeadline, The Rainmakerhas now addedThe Walking Dead’sDan Fogler as a series regular. According to the report,Fogler is set to play Melvin Pritcher, a nurse with knowledge of an “explosive secret”at the heart of the show’s vast conspiracy. Unlike many of the show’s previous casting announcements, Fogler’s character appears to have no direct counterpart in either the 1997 movie or the original book.
The Rainmaker TV Show Is Beginning To Look Very Different To The Movie
Fogler’s New Nurse Character Isn’t The Only Change Being Made
While the announcement ofFogler’s new character probably marks the greatest departure from the 1997 movieto date, it is not the first change to be revealed by the show’s casting announcements. It has been revealed that Madison Iseman (I Know What You Did Last Summer) is set to play the role of Rudy’s former law school girlfriend Sarah Plankmore, a character from the book who was left out of the movie altogether. Meanwhile, Mickey Rourke’s ambulance-chasing lawyer J. Lyman “Bruiser” Stone is being reimagined as Jocelyn “Bruiser” Stone, played by Lana Parrilla (Once Upon a Time).
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Though Fogler’s Melvin Pritcher appears to be a new addition to the story, his character’s description would likelyplace him at the heart of the legal battle being waged by Rudyagainst the insurance company Great Benefit. Representing the family of a young man with leukemia who was repeatedly denied access to a potentially life-saving bone marrow transplant, Rudy’s investigation eventually reveals a greater plot by Great Benefit.
As a nurse, Fogler’s Melvin may even be directly involved in the treatment of Donny Ray Black, the patient who sits at the heart of the unfolding drama. As such, while his role may seem like a new addition to the tale, it would appear to fit seamlessly intoJohn Grisham’s original plot. Either way, the new television version ofThe Rainmakerappears to be shifting even further away from the 1997 movie adaption.
