FX’s drama pilot The Old Man, starring Jeff Bridges, has added two more big names to the production.
John Lithgow will star opposite Bridges in the project, which centers on a former CIA operative drawn back into his former life. The Disney-owned cable network has also signed Jon Watts (Spider-Man: Far From Home) to direct.
Based on a novel by Thomas Perry, The Old Man stars Bridges in his first series-regular role as Dan Chase, who absconded from the CIA decades ago and has been living off the grid ever since. When an assassin finds and tries to kill Chase, the former operative learns that to ensure his future, he must reconcile his past.
Lithgow will play Harold Harper, an intelligent and tough former FBI agent. Possessing deep reservoirs of both compassion and ruthlessness, Harper is called back to the bureau after suffering a terrible personal loss. He has a complicated past with Chase, which makes him uniquely suited for hunting him down.
Lithgow is a six-time Emmy winner, most recently in 2017 for playing Winston Churchill on Netflix’s The Crown. He also is set to appear in HBO’s limited series Perry Mason. His TV credits also include Trial & Error, Dexter and 3rd Rock From the Sun.
Watts directed and co-wrote Spider-Man: Homecoming and directed the follow-up Far From Home, which at least for now is the last Spider-Man film attached to Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe after a split with Sony. He’s also an executive producer on the pilot.
The Old Man is being written by Jon Steinberg and Robert Levine (Black Sails), who is executive producing with Watts, Warren Littlefield (Fargo), Dan Shotz, Bridges and David Schiff. The series is being produced by Fox 21 TV Studios in association with The Littlefield Company.
Lithgow is repped by UTA, Anonymous Content and Viewpoint. Watts is repped by CAA.
