Apple TV has picked up the new dramedy series Beat the Reaper, based on the novel of the same name by Josh Bazell, with Will Poulter (Black Mirror, The Bear) set to star and executive produce. Sam Catlin (Sugar, Breaking Bad) adapted the novel for TV and will serve as showrunner and executive producer. Apple Studios and New Regency are serving as co-studios.
Poulter will play Dr. Peter Brown, an intern at Boston’s worst hospital, with a talent for medicine, a shift from hell, and a past he’d prefer to keep hidden. But when a patient recognizes him from his dangerous past, Brown has eight hours to elude the government, mob hitmen, quack surgeons, and a trail of dead gangers to beat the reaper somehow.
“Beat The Reaper” was Bazell’s debut novel and was released in 2009. The dark comedy tells the story of medical resident Peter Brown, who is also in the Federal Witness Protection Program due to his past as a mafia hitman. When a dying mobster ends up at the hospital where he works, he recognizes Peter as Pietro Brnwa, the hitman. Peter finds himself at a crossroads: he needs to save the mobster’s life or his past will be exposed.
The new series Beat the Reaper will be executive produced by Catlin under his overall deal with Apple TV. Arnon Milchan, Yariv Milchan and Natalie Lehmann will executive produce for New Regency.