John Slattery to Lead ‘Rainmaker’ Reboot on USA Network

USA Network has selected John Slattery, known for his role in Mad Men, to star in their reboot of John Grisham’s The Rainmaker.

Slattery, who will play the legendary lawyer Leo F. Drummond, joins a cast that is yet to be announced. The drama, from Lionsgate Television and Blumhouse Television, features notable executive producers like Grisham, writer Michael Seitzman (Code Black, Intelligence), Jason Richman (Stumptown, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon), David Gernert, and Jason Blum. Richman and Seitzman co-wrote the pilot episode.

Based on Grisham’s bestselling novel, Slattery’s character, Leo Drummond, is a senior partner at the powerful law firm Tinley Britt, which is up against a young lawyer, Rudy Baylor. The story follows Rudy, fresh out of law school, as he goes head-to-head with Drummond and his own law school girlfriend. Rudy, alongside his boss and her disheveled paralegal, uncovers two interconnected conspiracies surrounding the mysterious death of their client’s son.

The order for a Rainmaker reboot marks USA Network’s first non-shared scripted series since 2020. The network, known for past hits like Suits and White Collar, has seen a resurgence in popularity, thanks to Netflix. USA Network was previously the most-watched cable network for twelve consecutive years.

This new Rainmaker series follows recent collaborations between Lionsgate and Blumhouse, which include a multi-picture film deal. This deal allows Blumhouse to reimagine horror classics from the Lionsgate library.

Slattery’s extensive television career includes roles in shows such as Mrs. America, The Good Fight, 30 Rock, Documentary Now, Arrested Development, Sex and the City, Veep, and K Street. He was nominated four times for his role as Roger Sterling on Mad Men and earned a Critics’ Choice nomination for his guest appearance in Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp.

On the big screen, Slattery has appeared in films like Tom McCarthy’s Oscar-winning Spotlight, Ant-Man, Iron Man 2, Flags of Our Fathers, and Traffic. His Broadway credits include the Pulitzer Prize-winning Rabbit Hole, the revival of Betrayal, and more recently, The Front Page opposite Nathan Lane.

Slattery has also directed episodes of Mad Men, Judd Apatow’s Love, and the feature film God’s Pocket. His latest directorial effort, Maggie Moore(s), stars John Hamm and Tina Fey.

Slattery is represented by Gersh Agency and Sloane Offer Weber and Dern.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline