The Rainmaker cast, synopsis, and what else to know about the USA Network legal thriller

We’ve gotten more casting for the upcoming USA Network series The Rainmaker, so here’s what we know so far on the coming legal drama!

It’s been a while since USA Network got into scripted drama. After kicking off the big “blue sky era” of hit shows from Monk to Suits, the network scaled back in recent years. However, they’re making a big return with a direct-to-series order of a show based on John Grisham’s The Rainmaker.

Grisham is well known as the author of numerous legal thrillers, including The Firm, The Pelican Brief, The Client, and A Time To Kill. All four of those books were turned into movies, as was his 1995 novel The Rainmaker, which became a 1997 film starring Matt Damon. 

The USA Network series comes from Michael Seiztman, who will serve as showrunner with Jason Richman, co-producer and writer. The series is in pre-production and looking to be a fun new legal thriller.

What is The Rainmaker about?

It appears the show will adapt most of the original novel and film with a few twists. Rudy Baylor is a bright young lawyer lacking a regular job. In the novel, Rudy is hired by J. Lyman Stone, a ruthless and successful “ambulance chasing” lawyer. In the series, the elder Stone has been disgraced, and it’s his daughter Jocelyn aka “Bruiser,” who hires Rudy out of a firm located in a strip-mall.

Alongside a disheveled paralegal, Rudy and Jocelyn take on a cast that pits them against legendary attorney Leo Drummond, whose paralegal, Sarah Plankmore, happens to be Rudy’s law school girlfriend. As they tackle this seemingly unwinnable case, Rudy and Jocelyn discover it’s the tip of the iceberg of a criminal conspiracy. 

It’s uncertain if the show will simply adapt the full novel or use it for the overall arc alongside some side cases. Either way, it looks to be a fun expansion of the source material.

Who stars in the series?

So far, the cast has some good names to it per Deadline. Milo Callaghan will play Rudy, marking a big breakout for the British actor who will also star in the upcoming Dune: Prophesy. Madison Iseman, who starred in the Jumanji movies and several horror films, will play Sarah.

John Slattery of Mad Men fame takes on the role of Leo Drummond. Lana Parilla, best known for Once Upon a Time and The Lincoln Lawyer, plays Jocelyn. Deck Shifflet, Rudy's partner who was played by Danny DeVito in the movie, will be played by P.J. Byrne in the series. The character is "an unsentimental "paralawyer" who works for Jocelyn's firm.

The show still has a few roles to cast, however, this is a good start to build up the show. 

• Milo Callaghan as Rudy Baylor
• John Slattery as Leo Drummond
• Madison Iseman as Sarah Plankmore
• Lana Parilla as Jocelyn “Bruiser” Stone
• P.J. Byrne as Deck Shifflet

As the casting is still ongoing, the show likely won’t start production until just before the end of 2024, making it a safe bet for a summer 2025 release. With a good building cast and the source material of a bestselling novel, The Rainmaker looks like a good legal drama to enjoy next year.

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