Apple TV+ new series The Wanted Man brings together actors from House, Game Of Thrones and Westworld

The Wanted Man, an upcoming Apple TV+ thriller, promises to be a deep dive into power plays and betrayals lingering like smoke in a confined room. At its core is Felix Carmichael, a guy who once commanded London's underworld with a grasp so tight it squeezed the life out of anybody who dared challenge him.

Carmichael was invincible for two decades. His vast criminal organization, the Capital, ran like a ghost, visible to all yet arrested by no one. Up till now. Betrayed by someone he once trusted, Carmichael is likely to be placed into Staplehurst prison, a hellscape where every wall has ears and every cellmate has a score to pay.

Hugh Laurie, who has spent years perfecting that glint of danger beneath a calm exterior, is set to step into the role of Felix Carmichael with a razor-sharp intensity. But this isn’t House. Laurie Carmichael is poised to be a man on the brink, fighting to hold onto what little power he has left while his empire is dismantled brick by brick.

Alongside him, Thandiwe Newton (Westworld) is expected to bring her signature blend of strength and vulnerability as a single mother tangled up in the chaos Carmichael’s revenge is set to leave behind.

Stephen Dillane, unforgettable as Stannis Baratheon in Game of Thrones, is poised to show up as Felix’s older brother, a man whose loyalties are as slippery as the blood-soaked floors they once ruled together.

The Wanted Man, written by George Kay (Hijack) and directed by Jakob Verbruggen (The Fall), is more than a story about a kingpin’s fall from grace. It's poised to be a story about the people who want him to stay down and the ones who might just be crazy enough to pull him back up.

With only eight episodes, the series is set to waste no time digging into the rot beneath the surface, showing just how far someone will go when their entire world is crumbling around them.

Hugh Laurie returns to Apple TV+ with a complex new role

Hugh Laurie, known for his razor-sharp portrayal of Dr. House, is set to take on a darker, more volatile role as Felix Carmichael. In The Wanted Man, Laurie will have to dive into even murkier waters as a man who once ruled the British underworld with a grip so tight it could crush bones. Carmichael built his empire from the ground up, turning The Capital into a ghost syndicate, everywhere but nowhere.

But empires built on blood always attract vultures. When Carmichael is betrayed and thrown into Staplehurst prison, he's forced to confront the consequences of his own brutality. The man who once pulled every string in the room is now just another inmate waiting for a shot at revenge.

Carmichael isn't charming, but Laurie is to take up the position with the same terrifying composure that made him Dr. House famous. This guy is on the verge of collapse; he's dangerous, desperate, and won't go down without a fight.

Game of Thrones and Westworld stars join the cast

If The Wanted Man is aiming to crank up the tension, casting Thandiwe Newton and Stephen Dillane is poised to be a masterstroke. Newton, who left audiences stunned as Maeve in Westworld, is set to bring that same magnetic intensity to her role as a single mother caught in the crossfire of Felix Carmichael’s crumbling empire. She's the kind of character who has been burned before, and now every move she makes is calculated for survival.

Dillane, forever etched in the minds of Game of Thrones fans as the cold-blooded Stannis Baratheon, is expected to step in as Felix’s older brother. But this isn’t some warm family reunion. The brothers share a history soaked in blood and betrayal, and Dillane’s character isn’t exactly rushing to help Carmichael regain control. If anything, he might be the one pouring gasoline on the flames.

The rest of the cast is equally stacked with actors who know how to play with moral ambiguity. Fionn Whitehead, known for Dunkirk, is set to join as another wildcard whose alliances are as slippery as the prison floors. Gina McKee and Elliott Heffernan round out a lineup that is primed to push Carmichael deeper into a corner where everyone wants a piece of what is left of his kingdom.

The dark underbelly of British crime syndicates in The Wanted Man

Power shifts, mutates, and gets stolen. In The Wanted Man, Felix Carmichael will have to find his way through a maze of hidden agreements, blood oaths, and unwritten regulations.

Over the course of twenty years, he clung specterlike to power in The Capital, a criminal organization that managed to evade authorities even as it tightened its hold on the streets. Now that Carmichael is in Staplehurst prison, his empire is likely to fall apart more quickly than anyone had predicted.

The Capital is more than simply a criminal organization. It's like a breathing creature. Trust is as uncommon as a blank slate in this underground economy where debts are paid with blood. The real question isn’t who betrayed Carmichael but how many people are lining up to take his place.

The power vacuum he left behind is a ticking bomb, and every former ally, rival, and underling is scrambling to carve out their own piece of the pie before the whole thing implodes.

The Wanted Man isn’t just about one man’s fall from power. It can explore what happens when a kingdom built on fear starts to fracture, and it's about how the vultures circle when the kingpin loses his crown and how far Carmichael is willing to go to remind everyone who they’re dealing with.

Will The Wanted Man be Apple TV+'s next big hit?

Apple TV+ has been stacking its lineup with heavy-hitting dramas, and The Wanted Man is set to fit right into that mold. With George Kay, the mind behind Hijack, steering the ship, the series comes with promises to deliver a mix of psychological tension and high-stakes crime that could easily slide into the same lane as Slow Horses or Tehran.

However, this isn’t just another tale of corruption and chaos. It's expected to be a character-driven thriller where the real battle is for survival.

Laurie’s Felix Carmichael is tailor-made for a streaming era that thrives on antiheroes as compelling as they are terrifying. He's set to be a man backed into a corner, trapped between the walls of Staplehurst prison and the enemies waiting for him outside.

Meanwhile, Thandiwe Newton and Stephen Dillane are expected to bring the kind of gravitas that can elevate any script, and if they’re given enough space to breathe, their characters could be just as unforgettable as Laurie’s.

Jakob Verbruggen, known for his work on The Fall, is directing, and if his previous work is any indication, audiences can expect plenty of dark, moody visuals that match the intensity of Carmichael’s crumbling world. With only eight episodes to tell this story, every second will count.

The question is whether The Wanted Man will deliver on its promise of tension and terror or get lost in the crowded field of crime dramas currently vying for attention.

The final verdict: The Wanted Man could be a game-changer for Apple TV+

Apple TV+ has been steadily building its reputation as a hub for prestige dramas, and The Wanted Man could be the next hit to solidify that image. With Hugh Laurie set to take on one of his darkest roles yet and Thandiwe Newton and Stephen Dillane bringing heavyweight performances to the table, the series has all the ingredients to captivate audiences who crave character-driven narratives where morality is murky and power is a double-edged sword.

But the real test will be whether the series can maintain its tension across eight episodes without losing momentum. Laurie’s Felix Carmichael is a character designed to haunt viewers, a man who refuses to fade quietly into the shadows of Staplehurst prison. If the writing delivers the kind of visceral, high-stakes drama that George Kay is known for, The Wanted Man could easily become one of Apple TV+’s most talked-about shows.