USA Network’s upcoming television adaptation of The Rainmaker has added a Walking Dead alum to its growing cast lineup. Based on the 1995 novel of the same name by best-selling author John Grisham, the story was previously adapted as a movie starring Matt Damon and Claire Danes. Most recently, Bodkin star Robyn Cara was announced in the role of Kelly Riker, the character previously played by Danes. Meanwhile, Milo Callaghan (Doctor Who, The Strangers) is set to take over Damon’s role as Rudy Baylor, a young law school graduate who finds himself involved in a major courtroom battle.
Per Deadline, The Rainmaker has now added The Walking Dead’s Dan Fogler as a series regular. According to the report, Fogler is set to play Melvin Pritcher, a nurse with knowledge of an “explosive secret” at the heart of the show’s vast conspiracy. Unlike many of the show’s previous casting announcements, Fogler’s character appears to have no direct counterpart in either the 1997 movie or the original book.
The Rainmaker TV Show Is Beginning To Look Very Different To The Movie
Fogler’s New Nurse Character Isn’t The Only Change Being Made
While the announcement of Fogler’s new character probably marks the greatest departure from the 1997 movie to date, it is not the first change to be revealed by the show’s casting announcements. It has been revealed that Madison Iseman (I Know What You Did Last Summer) is set to play the role of Rudy’s former law school girlfriend Sarah Plankmore, a character from the book who was left out of the movie altogether. Meanwhile, Mickey Rourke’s ambulance-chasing lawyer J. Lyman "Bruiser" Stone is being reimagined as Jocelyn “Bruiser” Stone, played by Lana Parrilla (Once Upon a Time).
Though Fogler’s Melvin Pritcher appears to be a new addition to the story, his character’s description would likely place him at the heart of the legal battle being waged by Rudy against the insurance company Great Benefit. Representing the family of a young man with leukemia who was repeatedly denied access to a potentially life-saving bone marrow transplant, Rudy’s investigation eventually reveals a greater plot by Great Benefit.
As a nurse, Fogler’s Melvin may even be directly involved in the treatment of Donny Ray Black, the patient who sits at the heart of the unfolding drama. As such, while his role may seem like a new addition to the tale, it would appear to fit seamlessly into John Grisham's original plot. Either way, the new television version of The Rainmaker appears to be shifting even further away from the 1997 movie adaption.
