The Rainmakeris one of John Grisham’s most popular and beloved novels and was adapted into a 1997 movie of the same name starring Matt Damon. The legal drama saw law graduate Randy Baylor take on a fraudulent insurance company in a case worth millions of dollars.The Rainmakerhad a strong cast and tight script, and though it was not a box-office success, it’s regarded as one of the best Grisham adaptations. And now, a TV adaptation is set to release on USA Network, withThe Rainmakertrailerdropping yesterday.
Telling the story in long form will present a number of changes that will make the show stand out from the movie and will provide the opportunity for more in-depth storytelling and plot arcs. However, there isone tonal change in particular that is set to differentiateThe RainmakerTV showfrom its big-screen predecessor, and much of this has to do with the involvement of Blumhouse, the production company set to co-produce the John Slattery and Milo Callaghan-led project.
Blumhouse Co-Producing USA’s Rainmaker TV Show Could Hint It Will Embrace More Thriller Aspects
The Show Should Be Darker & More Nail-Biting Than The Movie’s Standard Legal Drama
The involvement of Blumhouse, typically known for their successful horrormovies likeSinister,The Black Phone,Happy Death Day, andThe Purge, suggests the show will lean into darker themes that align with a thriller rather than a conventional drama. The original movie was very much a courtroom drama, but it seems the show is set to try to balance legal drama with its thriller elements. The trailer, as well asthe show’s official synopsis, suggests this is the direction the series will lookto take as well:
“Based on the best-selling novel by John Grisham, Rudy Baylor, who is fresh out of law school, goes head-to-head with courtroom lion Leo Drummond as well as his law school girlfriend, Sarah. Rudy, along with his boss, Bruiser, and her disheveled paralegal, Deck, uncover two connected conspiracies surrounding the mysterious death of their client’s son.”
The show’s trailer also suggests the thriller angle will be prominent, andThe Rainmakermay function as a courtroom drama, murder mystery, and legal thriller all rolled into one.The Lincoln LawyerTV adaptationis a good example of a long-form legal drama that has managed to tread the thriller line on occasion, andThe Rainmakermay have taken inspiration from the Netflix show.
The Rainmaker Could Be A Big Off-Season Hit For USA
The Show Has The Ingredients To Be A Success On The Network
Following the successful performance ofSuits(another USA Network scripted show) on Netflix, the network will make a return to scripted shows withThe Rainmaker, and the potential is huge. This is a show based onone of Grisham’s most iconic novels, with a strong and diverse cast in place and a longer run to weave the narrative arc that the plot requires for success. There are also plenty of opportunities to experiment with different genres and tonalities throughout the show’s first season run.
The ingredients are all in place to makeThe Rainmakeran off-season hit for USA, and a lack of competition, combined with the success of recent legal shows likeThe Lincoln Lawyer, give it a good chance.The Rainmaker’s release dateisset for August 15 at 10 p.m. on USA Networkand will be available to stream a week later on Peacock. If the show can bridge genres, weave a compelling plot, and deliver interesting and layered characters, USA Network could have another hit on its hands.
