Jude Law is set to play Bill Shankly in the Liverpool drama series being developed by A24, according to an exclusive report from entertainment industry publication Deadline.
The Black Rabbit actor is lined up to portray the legendary Reds manager in the production written by Liverpool supporter Jack Thorne, whose credits include Adolescence and Help.
Liverpool first announced the project on 17 December 2024, confirming that A24 would develop the series in association with Box To Box, the production company behind Formula 1: Drive to Survive.
That announcement established plans for a drama exploring Shankly’s transformation of Liverpool alongside the city’s cultural boom and the hardships of the 1960s and 1970s. Shankly’s granddaughter, Karen Gill, was also confirmed as being involved to help ensure historical accuracy, with filming planned for Liverpool and Anfield.
Law’s reported involvement represents a significant development, with Deadline also revealing that Thorne has written the first two episodes and that Liverpool chairman Tom Werner and his team have begun discussions with broadcasters and streaming services.
Shankly arrived at Anfield in December 1959 and led Liverpool out of the old Second Division, laying the foundations for the club’s rise to the summit of English and European football. During his reign, the Reds won three league titles, two FA Cups and the UEFA Cup before he retired in 1974.
Speaking to Deadline, Werner suggested the production could develop into a series comparable in scope to The Crown, with the relationships surrounding the club central to its appeal.
“It’s a story about family and relationships through the lens of a football club,” he said.
Werner also highlighted Shankly’s understanding of the bond between Liverpool and its supporters.
“Bill Shankly understood that it wasn’t just about finding the best talent on the team. It was about forging a connection with a fan base,” he told Deadline.
“If we can articulate that in a mini-series that starts with Bill Shankly and continues through its journey, we can touch on things like the Beatles.”
His ambitions could eventually take the programme beyond the Shankly years. According to Deadline, Werner said a second run of episodes could address the Hillsborough disaster, should the initial series prove successful.
Thorne had already made clear when the project was announced that Liverpool’s identity and its relationship with the city would shape his approach.
He described that connection by saying “the club belongs to the city and the city belongs to the club”, while outlining his intention to celebrate both without overlooking the difficulties faced by the local community.
For Werner, one familiar Anfield scene could capture the emotion he hopes to bring to the screen.
“My feeling is, if you do nothing more in that first episode than show 50,000 people singing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’, I defy anyone who won’t be moved by that one scene,” he told Deadline.