Actor JK Simmons has been added to the cast of Beat the Reaper, which is a series adaptation of Josh Bazell's eponymous novel. According to Deadline, Simmons will star in the dramedy in a series regular role. He joins previously announced cast member Will Poulter, who stars in the role of an intern in the medical field who has greater experience with taking lives as compared to saving them, according to an official description from Apple TV. Reportedly, Simmons is set to portray the role of a surgeon who lacks competence and who is employed at the hospital where Poulter's character also plies his trade.
Beat the Reaper hails from showrunner and executive producer Sam Catlin. Tim Van Patten, who is set to direct the first episode for the dramedy series, will also serve as an executive producer for it alongside Catlin.
The upcoming series is set to mark a rare role in a web series for JK Simmons. The actor has been having a decorated film career, including critically appreciated roles such as those of Daily Bugle editor-in-chief J Jonah Jameson in the Spider-Man franchise and a ruthless jazz instructor in Whiplash, for which he won a best supporting actor Oscar in 2015. Beyond his work in feature films, Simmons has starred in important roles in some web series, including The Daily Bugle, where he reprised his Spider-Man character, Invincible, where he voiced the superhero Omni-Man, and the science-fiction thriller Counterpart.
Simmons' next immediate film is Heart of the Beast, which stars Brad Pitt in the lead and is set for a September 25 release. His upcoming projects also include Purgatory, Monkey Quest, and the long-delayed The Prince. On the other hand, Will Poulter will next be seen in the film Saturn Return and the series Rabbit, Rabbit as well.
