“American Gigolo,” Showtime’s “present-day reimagining of Paul Schrader’s 1980 erotic drama of the same name,” first debuted as an idea on Jerry Bruckheimer Television in 2014. According to executive producer Jonathan Littman, the show — which stars Jon Bernthal in a role originated by Richard Gere — once enlisted Jared Leto to play the gentle, high-end escort.
While not a complete reboot and certainly not a remake, the series picks up 15 years after Julian Kaye (Bernthal) is framed for a murder he didn’t commit. Following his acquittal, Julian must navigate the once treacherous world of the L.A. elite, all while navigating who betrayed him in the first place.
Read on to find out where, when, and how to watch “American Gigolo”:
Is “American Gigolo” Streaming?
There are a few ways to watch the eight-episode Paramount Television Studios series, depending on whether you’re a Showtime subscriber or one of the diminutive few who haven’t cut the cord yet.
“American Gigolo” premieres Friday, September 9 on streaming and on demand from all Showtime subscribers. After that, the crime noir series will debut on-air TV on Sunday, September 11 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the network. New episodes will continue to air every Friday via the streaming and on-demand platform before airing on Sunday nights. The season finale will premiere on October 28 and October 30, respectively.
How is the show different from the original?
As established, this new take will follow Julian after the events of Schrader’s classic film. At the end of the film, Michelle, Julian’s love interest (portrayed by Lauren Hutton), sacrifices her marriage and reputation to provide her with a much-needed alibi. While the film stops short of seeing Julian free, it certainly enables his relaxation.
Here’s the show’s official logline: “American Gigolo follows Julian Kaye (Bernthal) as he navigates his complicated relationship with his ex-boyfriend Michelle (Gretchen Moll, “Boardwalk Empire”), his troubled mother, He is wrongfully released from 15 years in prison, and the men who betrayed him. While Julian struggles to reconcile the escort he was in the past and the man he is today, Detective Sunday (Rosie) O’Donnell, “The L Word: Generation Q”) searches for the truth about the murder that sent Julian to prison all those years. First, unearthing a much bigger conspiracy along the way.”
According to Littman, the reimagining differs from the film by actually delving into Julian’s backstory, and how he became a sex worker in the first place: “The film is a great la noir, but we knew nothing about Julian,” He told TheWrap in an interview. “You had no idea where he was, how he became a gigolo. It was settled, He’s a gigolo, he’s framed for a crime and a great story unfolds, and it was sexy, cool and cool. we thought it’s the exact opposite [explore] How is that [became] This is one way to re-watch the film. what was the journey? So that was not only the first impetus to remake it, but how do you re-imagine what you couldn’t do in the constraints of a feature when you were trying to hit a two-hour runtime? ,
Who else is in the cast?
In addition to Bernthal, Moll and O’Donnell, guest star Wayne Brady plays Julian’s friend and mentor Lorenzo. Lizzie Brochere as Isabel, heir to a ring of sex workers; Gabriel LaBelle as Johnny, a younger version of Julian; and Leland Orser as Richard Stratton, a self-made tech billionaire and Michelle’s husband.
Is there any creative behind the film involved in the show?
Most notably, Bruckheimer, who produced the original film, will executive produce with Littman, Christine Reid and Russell Rotherberg. “The Offer” boss Nikki Toscano serves as showrunner and executive producer of the series, while David Hollander (“Ray Donovan”) developed the show.
watch the trailer: