Prison Break: New Series Officially Greenlit

The next prison break is imminent: as the industry magazine Variety reports, a new "Prison Break" series has officially been greenlit. However, a fresh start is being planned and the lead actor duo Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell are bidding farewell. Variety describes the project as a reboot with a new cast and new characters.

One of the main roles will be played by Emily Browning, known from "American Gods" and "Sucker Punch". She plays a former soldier who now works as a corrections officer. She "takes a job at one of the deadliest prisons in America to prove just how far she'll go for someone she loves."

Other roles will be played by "The Winchesters" actor Drake Rodger and "Smile 2" actor Lukas Gage, among others. The series will be available on Hulu. Elgin James, known for the "Sons of Anarchy" spin-off "Mayans MC", serves as Showrunner. Paul Scheuring, the creator of the original series, is also involved as a producer.

"Prison Break" first ran from 2005 to 2009 and is still very popular among fans. The cult series revolves around the ingenious engineer Michael Scofield, who deliberately gets himself arrested in order to break out with his wrongly convicted brother Lincoln. A revival season was released in 2017, once again starring Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell in their iconic roles.

It is already clear that the new series is likely to have a hard time. The name "Prison Break" is inextricably linked with the brothers Michael and Lincoln for many fans. However, it is still unknown whether there will be any guest appearances by original stars in the new series. At least it doesn't seem impossible – after all, the series is set in the same world. There is no information yet as to when the reboot is expected.

The Prison Break series phenomenon

The US series "Prison Break" is one of the most iconic series of the 2000s. With a gripping concept, a charismatic cast and a dense atmosphere, the series captivated millions of viewers worldwide.

The first season

The first season is considered the best of the series and still enjoys cult status today. It tells the story of Michael Scofield, a highly intelligent civil engineer who comes up with a risky plan: To save his innocent brother Lincoln Burrows, who has been sentenced to death, he commits a crime himself and gets himself committed to the same maximum security prison – Fox River State Penitentiary.

Michael has hidden the prison's blueprints on his body in the form of a complex tattoo. With extreme precision and using all his knowledge, he begins to implement his meticulously prepared plan. In the process, he has to come to terms with dangerous fellow inmates, including the manipulative T-Bag, the honorable Sucre and the powerful mafioso Abruzzi. At the same time, a conspiracy develops outside the prison walls involving high-ranking members of the government.

The suspense of the first season thrives on the mixture of intelligence, time pressure and unpredictability. Each episode brings new obstacles, twists and turns and moral dilemmas.

The other seasons

Spoilers for the plot after Season 1: After the successful breakout in Season 1, the plot in Season 2 shifts to the escape of the escapees. This season is more geared towards the thriller genre and follows the group across the USA, always on the run from the FBI – especially the persistent agent Mahone.

Season 3 is again largely set in prison, this time in the brutal Sona prison in Panama. Michael once again has to plan an escape – under even more difficult conditions. Season 4 once again focuses on a global conspiracy in which the mysterious organization The Company is to be smashed.

After a break of a few years, the series returned in 2017 with a fifth season. In it, it is revealed that Michael is still alive after all – but once again in a prison, this time in civil war-torn Yemen. The cycle of "Prison - Breakout - Escape" begins anew.

Strengths of the series

The first season of "Prison Break" was praised above all for its dense arc of suspense and the intelligent construction of the plot. The character of Michael Scofield fascinates many fans. The supporting characters are also strikingly drawn – especially the psychopathic T-Bag, played by Robert Knepper. The series skillfully combines suspense, action, drama and conspiracy theories.

Criticism

Despite the strong first season, "Prison Break" was increasingly criticized in the course of its later seasons. The basic idea – an ingenious breakout – was recycled several times, leading to predictability and repetition. Seasons 3 and 5 in particular seemed like variations on the same theme, with credibility suffering greatly at times. The increasingly complex conspiracy plot of the fourth season surrounding "The Company" seemed increasingly contrived and overloaded. Character developments fell by the wayside, and realism increasingly gave way to exaggerated action sequences.

Cultural Impact

Despite the criticism, "Prison Break" remains a defining piece of series history from the 2000s. The first season is considered by many to be a prime example of successful suspense storytelling in series format. Even years after it ended, the series still has a loyal fan base and the cast is closely associated with their roles. "Prison Break" inspired numerous other series and films in the genre and was an important representative of the great series boom of the 21st century.