Fans of the acclaimed legal drama ‘Suits’ eagerly awaiting its spinoff can now revel in the news that Stephen Amell, the charismatic Canadian actor, has been cast as the lead in NBC’s upcoming new series ‘Suits: LA.’ Amell, known for his magnetic screen presence, will inhabit the role of Ted Black, a former New York prosecutor who transitions to heading his own L.A. law firm, which specializes in the high-stakes worlds of criminal and entertainment law, according to Variety.
The original ‘Suits’ series, which aired on USA Network from 2011 to 2019 across nine compelling seasons, starred a dynamic ensemble including Patrick J. Adams, Gabriel Macht, Rick Hoffman, Meghan Markle, Gina Torres, and Sarah Rafferty. Making a remarkable resurgence in 2023 when it launched on Netflix, the show quick-stepped its way to the top of the streaming charts for several weeks, accumulating a staggering 45 billion minutes of streaming time when combined with viewership on Peacock.
Building on this momentum, NBC announced earlier this month that ‘Suits: LA’ had been granted a pilot order. Production is poised to start in Vancouver this March, with creator Aaron Korsch steering the ship once more. In the spinoff, viewers will dive into the professional and personal whirlwind surrounding Ted Black’s firm. According to the series’s official logline, “His firm is at a crisis point, and in order to survive he must embrace a role he held in contempt his entire career. Ted is surrounded by a stellar group of characters who test their loyalties to both Ted and each other while they can’t help but mix their personal and professional lives. All of this is going on while events from years ago slowly unravel that led Ted to leave behind everything and everyone he loved.”
Beatrice Springborn, president of Universal International Studios and UCP, established that ‘Suits: LA’ will remain in the same universe as the original, infused with “the same energy and good-looking people,” much to the delight of fans. Springborn emphasized in a statement back in November that despite the eye candy, the core of the new iteration requires gripping narrative and character development, posing the question, “How do you do something that can be ongoing, have a gloss to it and be a continuing series that everyone wants?”
Before landing the role in ‘Suits: LA,’ Amell captivated audiences as the brooding hero Oliver Queen, aka Green Arrow, in The CW’s ‘Arrow,’ and made appearances in crossover episodes of ‘The Flash,’ ‘DC’s Legends of Tomorrow,’ ‘Supergirl,’ and ‘Batwoman.’ More recently, he starred in and produced the wrestling drama ‘Heels’ on Starz, which lasted two seasons from 2021-2023. His next venture includes a role in Netflix’s ‘Code: 8 Part II,’ which he also produced.
‘Suits: LA’ seeks to blend the sharp-tongued legal banter and dramatic courtroom showdowns synonymous with its predecessor with a West Coast flair. This legal drama will take the audience on a journey through L.A.’s opulent landscapes, seasoned with the intensity and complexity of its New York roots. With Amell at the helm, the new series aims to present a seamless transition into a fresh narrative horizon while capitalizing on the commanding screen appeal he has become well-known for.
As anticipation builds, speculation circulates about other potential cast members and whether there’ll be crossover appearances from the original cast. The legal drama fans of ‘Suits’ are known to savor minute details of courtroom strategizing and feature stylish character dynamics. And it appears that ‘Suits: LA,’ with its fresh locale and premise, coupled with Stephen Amell’s star power, is geared up to deliver just that and more, potentially becoming a new staple for legal drama enthusiasts and a testament to the lasting legacy of the ‘Suits’ franchise.
