Jon Bernthal to lead Showtime’s adaptation of American Gigolo

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Showtime has been working on a TV series adaptation of AMERICAN GIGOLO for a number of years, but the project has now taken a big step forward as it's been picked up to pilot with Jon Bernthal (FORD V FERRARI) attached to star and produce.

The original film, released in 1980, starred Richard Gere as Julian Kaye, a male escort in Los Angeles who becomes the prime suspect in a murder case. Showtime's American Gigolo series will be a present-day reimagining of the film written and directed by David Hollander (Ray Donovan). Jon Bernthal will play Julian Kaye, who will be "introduced 18 years after he’s been arrested for murder and struggling to find his footing in the modern-day Los Angeles sex industry, while seeking the truth about the set-up that sent him to prison all those years ago and also hoping to reconnect with Michelle, his one true love." In a statement, Gary Levine, President of Entertainment at Showtime Networks, said:

American Gigolo comes with all the sizzle you’d expect, but it also offers a deep dive into the complicated waters of relationships and sexuality in 2020. We’ve assembled an ‘A’ team to adapt this iconic movie into a Showtime series with the talent and magnetism of Jon Bernthal, the exquisite filmmaking and showrunning of David Hollander, the legendary Jerry Bruckheimer and our new sister studio, Paramount.

Jon Bernthal was recently seen in FORD V FERRARI, and is currently filming KING RICHARD, a biopic about the rise of tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams as they're coached by their father, Richard Williams. Bernthal also as several projects just over the horizon, including a feature-film adaptation of John Pollono's play SMALL ENGINE REPAIR, The Sopranos prequel THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK, and Taylor Sheridan's neo-western thriller THOSE WHO WISH ME DEAD.