Michael Douglas Becomes Benjamin Franklin in First-Look Photos for Apple TV+ Series

The Ant-Man star portrays Benjamin Franklin in the new historical drama from Apple Studios.

By Cameron Bonomolo

Vive la révolution! Apple TV+ on Monday offered the first look at Oscar and Emmy winner Michael Douglas as Benjamin Franklin in Franklin, a new limited series executive produced by and starring Douglas as one of the most famed Founding Fathers of the United States. Based on the book "A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America" by Pulitzer Prize winner Stacy Schiff, the series documents Franklin's history as the first U.S. ambassador to France and the events that led to the Treaty of Paris in 1783 — the end of the American Revolutionary War.

The first-look photos showing the Ant-Man star as Benjamin Franklin, which you can see below, were revealed during the 2024 Winter Television Critics Association press tour.

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Apple TV+ describes the historical drama: "Franklin explores the thrilling story of the greatest gamble of Benjamin Franklin's career. In December 1776, Franklin is world famous for his electrical experiments, but his passion and power are put to the test when — as the fate of American independence hangs in the balance — he embarks on a secret mission to France. At age 70, without any diplomatic training, Franklin convinced an absolute monarchy to underwrite America's experiment in democracy.

"By virtue of his fame, charisma and ingenuity, Franklin outmaneuvered British spies, French informers and hostile colleagues to engineer the Franco-American alliance of 1778 and the peace treaty with England in 1783. The eight-year French mission stands as Franklin's most vital service to his country, without which America could not have won the Revolution. Diplomats and historians still regard it as the greatest single tour of duty by an ambassador in our nation's history."

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Franklin also stars Noah Jupe (A Quiet Place) as Temple Franklin, Thibault de Montalembert (Call My Agent!) as Comte de Vergennes, Daniel Mays (Line of Duty) as Edward Bancroft, Ludivine Sagnier (Lupin) as Madame Brillon, Eddie Marsan (Ray Donovan) as John Adams, Assaad Bouab (Call My Agent!) as Beaumarchais, Jeanne Balibar (Irma Vep) as Madame Helvetius, and Theodore Pellerin (There's Someone Inside Your House) as Marquis de Lafayette. 

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Douglas serves as executive producer on the series from Emmy and WGA Award-winning writer and executive producer Kirk Ellis (HBO's John Adams) and Emmy, WGA and Pulitzer Prize Award-nominated writer and executive producer Howard Korder (Boardwalk Empire). Emmy and Directors Guild of America-winning director Tim Van Patten (Apple TV+'s Masters of the Air, The Sopranos) is director and EP; Richard Plepler (Apple's Black Bird), Tony Krantz (Dangerous Liasons), Philippe Maigret (Kingdom), and Mark Mostyn (Cruella) also executive produce. Franklin comes from ITV Studios America (The Great Gatsby, The Fall of the House of FIFA) and Apple Studios (Killers of the Flower Moon, Napoleon).

Franklin premieres globally on Apple TV+ with the first three episodes of its eight-episode season Friday, April 12; new episodes will stream every following Friday through May 17.

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