When Amazon decided to purchase IMDb, it felt like a weird fit. Not only did the normally neutral film and TV information site appear contrasted to Amazon and their drive to produce content, but there was very little in the way of monetisation going on and profits are the one thing that Amazon knows how to focus on.
Amazon soon made their plans clear by making the free site yet another location where movie content could be stored, and turning it into a streaming platform of sorts that focused on older third-party content that made money off of its advertising. A plan that could make IMDb profitable if they can convince enough people to watch it and it doesn’t compete too much with Amazon’s own paid-for streaming service. That last part is now changing with Deadline revealing that Amazon has lined up its first piece of original content for the service, a revival of Leverage.
A continuation of the 2008 TNT crime show, the series will once again follow a Robin Hood-esque group of thieves who steal from the rich to help those in need. Dean Devlin, who produced the original series, will return as an executive producer for the revival along with original creators John Rogers and Chris Downey to ensure that the spirit of the original show that was cancelled in 2012, is kept intact (not that it was massively popular or anything though and could probably do with different energy).
It’s not just the creative and production team returning though, as the new 13-episode show will see most of the original cast return in some capacity: Beth Riesgraf, Gina Bellman, and Christian Kane will be reprising their roles as Parker Elliot, Sophie Devereaux, and Eliot Spencer, respectively, while Aldis Hodge will return in a recurring role as the team’s hacker, Alec Hardison. Notably absent is Timothy Hutton who previously starred as the lead in the 2008 series; he’ll be replaced by Noah Wyle as the lead of the new series. Wyle is also set to direct two of the episodes.
There are no release dates yet for the project. Regardless of when it comes out though it does mean that we essentially have yet another streaming service creating new content and while this one may be free, it’s still a little too much for many to handle, so it will be interesting to see how many people tune in to watch this.
Last Updated: April 29, 2020
Rhoda Schultz
April 29, 2020 at 17:45
I’m super excited that our beloved show is being revived ❤❤❤ Thank you for the article.
The only thing I have issue with is the statement that ‘not that it was massively popular or anything though and could probably do with different energy’. You DO know that it’s a cult HIT and the fans LOVE it so much that we are the reason it’s being revived.
FaLessia Booker
May 3, 2020 at 18:57
Exactly! I watch Leverage so much that I could probably look at a character’s outfit and tell you which episode it came from. Not to mention….Christian Kane….swoon!
Kevin Michael
April 29, 2020 at 22:37
The idea that wasn’t that popular is just stupid. It wasn’t one of the big networks, but was one of TBS’s most popular shows, as well as being shown worldwide.
M Lynn Walker
April 30, 2020 at 09:14
“,,,not that it was massively popular…” Seriously? It won the People’s Choice Award the year it was cancelled. You just don’t get a whole lot more popular than that. Maybe a little research would be a good idea before writing an article for publication?
Pennyanne Garner
April 30, 2020 at 14:38
It was and still is popular enough to have a fan base that has lobbied for years for it’s return. #Leverage has a cult following to this day, with thousands of fans all over the world. Sadly the US ratings are the only ones people seem to care about, Leverage is still garnering fans, and those fans can’t wait to tune in for #Leverage 2