A first look at Netflix's upcoming adaptation of '80s book series Man on Fire has been released. One for thriller fans to keep an eye out for, the show stars Watchmen's Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as former Special Forces soldier John Creasy, who "must battle his personal demons before he can truly turn over a new leaf".
A first still of Abdul-Mateen in character has now been unveiled, showing him holding a gun while looking anxiously into the distance.
Man on Fire follows his character, "who was once a high-functioning and skilled Special Forces Mercenary known for surviving even the most desolate situations".
"However, John is now battling extreme PTSD and personal demons," the synopsis adds. "As he attempts a fresh start, he’ll find himself back in the (metaphorical) fire and fighting harder than ever."
Alongside the actor, the series will star A Small Light's Billie Boullet as Poe Rayburn, who finds John as her only real ally after a tragic incident when she moves to Brazil, while City of God's Alice Braga is Valeria Melo, a professional driver with gang connections in a local favela who helps John protect Poe.
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True Detective's Scoot McNairy portrays "intelligent, calculating and manipulative" CIA field agent Henry Tappan, and The Watcher's Bobby Cannavale is Paul Rayburn, a former Special Forces soldier who is "charming, nurturing, and protective of those he cares for" and may have answers.
Man on Fire comes from showrunner Kyle Killen (Fear Street), with Creed II's Steven Caple Jr directing the first two episodes.
The original novel by AJ Quinnell was released in 1980, and was described as "gripping" (via Amazon). It spawned a number of Creasy-based sequels in the 1990s, including The Perfect Kill, The Blue Ring and Black Horn.
Man on Fire was famously adapted into a 1987 film starring Scott Glenn, and a 2004 movie with Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning.
As well as Watchmen, Abdul-Mateen is well-known for starring as Black Manta in Aquaman and Morpheus in The Matrix Resurrections.
Man on Fire will premiere on Netflix in 2026.
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Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International. Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' as a sub-editor.
