A new Apple TV+ series called Lazarus is currently in pre-production, and Deadline has reported that Zazie Beetz and Tom Hardy are set to star in the show. It’s based on a book series by authors Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril and Alexander Ahndoril, going by the pen name of Lars Kepler.

In the series, detective Saga Bauer, played by Beetz, investigates a strange case in which a missing person appears thirteen years after being abducted along with his sister, who is still missing. She must find answers from serial killer Jurek Walter, played by Hardy, by infiltrating the psychiatric hospital he’s imprisoned in. The books were inspired by the novel and its subsequent film adaptation, The Silence of the Lambs, in which an FBI agent must converse with the infamous Hannibal Lecter for advice on how to catch a psychotic killer.

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Zazie Beetz began acting in 2015. She has a starring role in the comedy-drama series Atlanta and appeared in Joker and will reprise her role in the upcoming sequel. She’s also lent her voice to animation, including The Bad Guys and Invincible, the latter of which is getting a second season this year. Her other upcoming projects include Full Circle, History of the World Part 2, and Black Mirror. She’s also interested in a solo movie for her superhero character Domino, who appeared in Deadpool 2.

How Will Tom Hardy’s Role Compare to Hannibal Lecter?

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​​​​Tom Hardy’s starred in dozens of varying roles since he began acting over two decades ago, but this will be his first stint as a psychotic killer. His upcoming performance will undoubtedly be compared to Anthony Hopkin’s portrayal of Hannibal Lecter back in 1991. Hardy has also recently made a go at screenwriting by serving as co-writer for the third installment of the Venom franchise.

The book series that the show will be based on began with the novel The Hypnotist, released in 2009. This spawned eight sequels and counting, so there will be plenty of content for the TV series to go off of. The authors, who are married to each other, will also serve as executive producers for the series, so it’s likely that the show will stay true to their artistic vision. The Last of Us HBO series is similarly notable for having the director of the original games serve as executive producer for the show, and the few departures from the source material have been lauded as welcome ones.

Lazarus does not have a release date set. The series will stream on Apple TV+ and will be produced by A+E Studios and Range Studios. Zazie Beetz and Tom Hardy are set to star, with Oystein Karlsen serving as director and screenwriter.