Lukas Gage Teases a Darker, Grittier PRISON BREAK Reboot for Hulu: “We Can Get Really Gritty on This One”
Fans have been curious about Hulu’s upcoming reboot of Prison Break ever since it was announced, and now one of the show’s stars is offering a few intriguing details about what audiences can expect.
If Lukas Gage is to be believed, this new version of the beloved prison drama is heading into much darker territory than anything viewers saw during the original Fox run.
Gage, who recently attended the premiere of Voicemails for Isabelle at Netflix’s Tudum Theater in Hollywood, opened up about his role in the upcoming series and teased the tone of the reboot.
The actor revealed that he plays a first-time congressional candidate and even shared some of the inspiration he used while preparing for the role.
“I’ve watched Joe Manchin, who was running for Congress in West Virginia forever,” Gage explained. “He’s been like the template of who I’ve been watching, but a lot of people that I admire, like Obama — not as much Spencer Pratt — more Obama vibes.”
As previously reported, Gage joins a cast that also includes Emily Browning and Drake Rodger. While the project exists in the same universe as the original Prison Break, it won’t continue the story of Michael Scofield and Lincoln Burrows.
Instead, the reboot introduces an entirely new cast of characters and tells a fresh story set within that established world.
The original series aired on Fox from 2005 through 2009 and built a passionate fanbase thanks to its high-stakes escapes, conspiracies, and constant twists. Rather than trying to replicate that formula beat for beat, it sounds like the creative team is taking a different approach.
The pilot is being written and executive produced by Elgin James, with original Prison Break creator Paul Scheuring also attached as an executive producer alongside Dawn Olmstead, Marty Adelstein, and Neal Moritz.
According to Gage, James brings a unique perspective to the material, one that gives the reboot its own identity while still respecting what came before.
“It’s gritty and it’s dark and it’s scary,” Gage said, adding, “We definitely pay homage to the old series, but it’s a very new take on it, and Elgin has such a personal connection to the story and a personal take on it that is very different.
“So it’s a right balance of not trying to recreate the magic of what was the original show, but it’s on Hulu, too. It’s not Fox, so we can get really gritty on this one.”
That description alone paints a picture of a series that isn’t interested in playing it safe. Hulu’s streaming platform gives the creative team more freedom than network television allowed two decades ago, which could result in a much more intense and mature take on the Prison Break concept.
While fans wait for more details on the reboot, Gage is also appearing in Voicemails for Isabelle, which stars Zoey Deutch as a culinary school student coping with the death of her sister by leaving voicemail messages about her daily life.
As she begins falling for a seemingly perfect boyfriend played by Nick Robinson, Gage appears as a fellow student sporting a distinctive look that he was particularly invested in creating.
“The pompadour was really important to me,” Gage said. “That’s all my hair. That’s my hair on my head, but not on my face [because] I can’t grow a mustache.”
As for Prison Break, it sounds like Hulu’s new series is shaping up to be something much harsher, more intense, and far less restrained than the Fox original.
Whether that darker approach pays off remains to be seen, but it certainly sounds like the creative team is aiming to deliver a fresh experience rather than simply revisiting old ground.
For longtime fans of Prison Break, that could end up being the most exciting part of all.
Source: Variety