Milo Ventimiglia Set to Lead HBO Max Cop Drama Pilot AMERICAN BLUE With David Ayer Directing
Milo Ventimiglia is stepping back into prestige TV territory with a new lead role, and it sounds like HBO Max is building something meaty around him. The streamer has tapped the This Is Us star to headline American Blue, a gritty cop drama pilot that’s bringing together some serious TV and film talent, including director David Ayer.
HBO Max has been leaning into a very specific pilot strategy lately, one that mirrors what worked with The Pitt. The idea is simple and smart. Find an experienced showrunner who knows how to handle big episode counts, cast a familiar TV face audiences already trust, and build a long running drama designed for yearly returns. American Blue fits that plan perfectly.
Written by Jeremy Carver, the former Supernatural showrunner, American Blue centers on Brian “Milk” Milkovich, a hometown kid who comes back to Joliet, Illinois, to help pull a struggling police department back from the brink. Ventimiglia’s character isn’t a flashy superhero cop.
Milk is described as a quietly determined, natural born leader who’s also looking to clean up his own past while trying to do some good.
Carver is executive producing alongside Brian Udovich, Neil Reynolds, and Ayer. Ventimiglia is also stepping into a behind the scenes role as a co-executive producer, with his longtime producing partner Russ Cundiff on board as a producer.
HBO Max clearly sees American Blue as a foundational drama, not a one and done experiment. Sarah Aubrey, Head of Max Original Programming, shared exactly what they’re aiming for with the project:
“American Blue will take audiences inside a gritty and authentic police drama, reflecting the myriad challenges in policing today. As with The Pitt, our goal of longer seasons will allow viewers to sink deeply into this world across multiple episodes and to return to it on an annual basis.
“We can’t wait for Jeremy Carver’s vision for American Blue to come to life with Milo Ventimiglia in the lead role and David Ayer directing our pilot.”
The show is one of two HBO Max pilots currently developed under this model, alongside the family drama How To Survive Without Me. Like The Pitt, which was created by R. Scott Gemmill and starred Noah Wyle, American Blue is coming from a showrunner who knows how to deliver 20 plus episode seasons without losing narrative focus.
Warner Bros. Television is equally high on the pairing of Ventimiglia and Ayer. Clancy Collins White, President of Creative Affairs at the studio, praised the creative team behind the pilot:
“We are thrilled to have Milo and David join American Blue. Milo’s dynamic presence on-screen and David’s keen eye are a perfect match for the complex, character-driven drama that Jeremy created. We look forward to seeing this trio bring Milk’s journey to life.”
For Ventimiglia, the role continues a long run of memorable TV work. He earned three Emmy nominations playing Jack Pearson on This Is Us, and genre fans still remember his time on Heroes and as Jess on Gilmore Girls. He’s also set to appear in Netflix’s upcoming Harlan Coben adaptation I Will Find You, keeping his small screen streak going strong.
As for Ayer, American Blue marks only his second time directing television. His previous TV work includes directing the pilot and second episode of Fox’s 2020 police drama Deputy. Given his film background on projects like Fury and Suicide Squad, a grounded, tough minded cop series is perfect for him.