Brian Tyree Henry takes the lead in first look at Ridley Scott's Dope Thief

See Brian Tyree Henry take the lead in the Dope Thief first look from Apple TV+, which will debut the new series on March 14, 2025. The Oscar-nominated actor will not only star in the drama, but is also an executive producer alongside series creator Peter Craig (also Oscar-nominated for co-writing the screenplay of Top Gun: Maverick) and Ridley Scott. Scott, too, will wear multiple hats for this project, also serving as the director for the first installment of the eight-episode show.  

Originally announced way back in 2022 under the title Sinking Spring, Dope Thief is based on the novel of the same name by Dennis Tafoya. It follows “long-time Philly friends and delinquents who pose as DEA agents to rob an unknown house in the countryside, only to have their small-time grift become a life-and-death enterprise, as they unwittingly reveal and unravel the biggest hidden narcotics corridor on the Eastern seaboard,” according to a synopsis from Apple. 

Henry has been racking up film credits recently, but he first broke through on television in his role as Alfred “Paper Boi” Miles on Donald Glover’s Atlanta. Meanwhile, in addition to being one of the most esteemed directors alive today, Scott is a prolific producer under his Scott Free banner. “I can sniff out something that’s maybe too intellectual, or not intellectual enough. Knowing the extremes is partly my job,” he said of his style as an EP in a recent interview. “Also, knowing when something is too long or too complex. That’s where I come in as a producer—really, as an editor. In that respect, I’m always respectful of the director, and if you’re respectful, they’ll listen to you.” 

On the television side, Scott has helped produce The Man In The High Castle, The Terror, and the cut-too-short Raised By Wolves; in addition to Dope Thief, Scott Free will also produce the upcoming Apple TV+ series Prime Target. “TV is a massive basket full of balls,” Scott reflected for The Hollywood Reporter. “Every now and again something comes up like The Sopranos and Game of Thrones that influences everybody, who then rushes to that ball to copy it and it’s already too late. That’s how I function as a director—what’s the next ball?”

Dope Thief also stars Wagner Moura (Civil War), Marin Ireland (The Umbrella Academy), Kate Mulgrew (Star Trek: Prodigy), Nesta Cooper (See), Amir Arison (The Blacklist), and Golden Globe-winner Ving Rhames (of the Mission: Impossible franchise). The series will debut its first two episodes on March 14, followed by a new episode every Friday through April 25. You can check out the Dope Thief first look below.