'Evel': Release date, plot, cast and everything you need to know about the biopic on daredevil Evel Knievel starring Milo Ventimiglia

The series is based on the story of the larger-than-life '70s daredevil as he prepares for his greatest death-defying feat, the historic Snake River Canyon jump
PUBLISHED SEP 6, 2019

Evel Knievel, the legendary stunt performer was immortalized on the big screen twice. The 1971 biography, 'Evel Knievel' starred George Eads as the titular character and in 2004, an American drama of the same name chronicling the life and times of Knievel was released and was based on the book ' Evel Incarnate: The Life and Legend of Evel Knievel' by Steve Mandich.  Now, the world will get to see the daredevil icon again in a limited series 'Evel' ordered by USA Network. 

Here's what we know about the series so far.

Release date

'Evel' is expected to begin production in 2020, so expect the series to come in probably by the summer of 2021.

Plot

The series is based on the story of the larger-than-life '70s daredevil as he prepares for his greatest death-defying feat, the historic Snake River Canyon jump. Knievel tried and failed to leap the mile-wide canyon of the Snake River on his specially engineered rocket motorcycle. Knievel and the motorcycle floated to the bottom of the canyon and landed on the riverbank directly below his launch ramp.

As reported by Deadline, "Evel is an exhilarating portrait of a complex man living the American dream, juggling meteoric celebrity and raising a family — and facing the very real probability that his next jump will kill him."

Cast

Actor Milo Ventimiglia plays Evel Knievel (Getty Images)

Milo Ventimiglia ('This is Us') is set to play the daredevil in the upcoming biopic series. The rest of the cast is yet to be announced. We'll keep you posted on the cast developments.

Writer/Director

The series is written by Etan Frankel ('Animal Kingdom'). Frankel will also executive produce the series with McG ('Terminator: Salvation'), Mary Viola ('Playing it Cool'), Milo Ventimiglia and Steven Bello.

News

Talking about the series, Chris McCumber, president of entertainment networks USA Network and SYFY for NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, said: " USA Network is known for big event series that celebrate heroes, rebels and icons, and what could be bigger than the story of one of the greatest thrill-seekers of all time?"

"The incredible life and journey of Evel Knievel lends itself to a dramatic retelling, and we are excited to be partnering with Milo, McG, UCP, Atlas, and Wonderland to bring this iconic American tale to our viewers."

Watch this space for more updates on 'Evel'

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