Hugh Laurie is trading the diagnostic room for a prison cell.

Apple TV has unveiled the first look at The Wanted Man, an upcoming eight-episode crime drama starring and executive produced by Laurie. The series, created by Hijack, War and Lupin creator George Kay, is set to premiere globally on January 6, 2027.

Apple has released several first-look images from the series, offering an early glimpse at Laurie’s character, Felix Carmichael, along with fellow cast members Thandiwe Newton, Fionn Whitehead and Gina McKee.

The story follows Felix, an organized crime boss whose carefully built empire begins to collapse after someone inside his own firm betrays him. His downfall lands him in the notorious Staplehurst prison, where survival means confronting the violent side of himself that helped build his criminal operation in the first place.

And Felix isn’t planning to stay behind bars.

With his family, business and fortune at stake, he decides that his only way forward is to escape from prison. That setup puts the series firmly in crime-thriller territory, while also giving Laurie a very different kind of role from the character that made him a household name in House.

The Wanted Man comes from George Kay, who serves as creator, writer and showrunner. Kay previously worked on Apple TV’s Hijack, as well as Netflix’s Lupin and other crime-focused productions. The series is co-produced by New Pictures and Kay’s Observatory Pictures.

The cast also includes Emmy, SAG and BAFTA Award winner Thandiwe Newton, alongside Fionn Whitehead, Gina McKee, Hazel Doupe, Elliott Heffernan and Stephen Dillane. Newton is known for roles including Westworld and Crash, while Whitehead appeared in Dunkirk and Emily.

Behind the camera, Jakob Verbruggen directs the series. The Emmy Award-nominated filmmaker has previously directed projects including The Fall, London Spy and Dark Matter. Executive producers include Kay, Willow Grylls and Matt Sandford, with David Meanti serving as series producer.

Apple is taking a familiar weekly-release approach with the series. The Wanted Man will debut on Wednesday, January 6, 2027, with its first two episodes released together. After that, a new episode will arrive every Wednesday through February 17.

That gives the drama a six-week rollout rather than dropping the entire season at once, leaving plenty of room for Felix Carmichael’s prison escape story to unfold week by week.

The first-look images don’t reveal much about how Felix’s escape attempt will play out, but they establish the series’ darker tone and its focus on the people surrounding the criminal empire. With Laurie at the center and Kay behind the series, Apple is putting a recognizable cast and established crime-drama talent behind one of its upcoming 2027 originals.

The Wanted Man will premiere globally on Apple TV on January 6, 2027.