When you take a look at the long list of actors featured in AMC's The Walking Dead, one can spot many actors who also possess excellent stage acting skills. This type of training can only enhance their onscreen acting, and soon, a TWD alum will make their Broadway debut.
Pulitzer Prize winner Stephen Adly Guirgis (Between Riverside and Crazy) has based his new true crime play on the same-titled Oscar-winning film from 1975. Directed by Sidney Lumet, the original film is based P. F. Kluge's Life magazine article "The Boys in the Bank," which features a robbery/hostage situation from 1972 that took place at the Brooklyn branch of Chase Manhattan that was led by led by John Wojtowicz and Salvatore Naturile.
Guiris' production will star Emmy-winning actors Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach in their Broadway debuts. Bernthal is well known for his roles in The Walking Dead, The Accountant films, The Punisher, Daredevil, The Bear, and other notable projects. Moss-Bachrach is Bernthal's The Bear co-star and has also appeared in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Hold Your Breath, The Punisher, and more.
Deadline reports that two-time Olivier Award winner Rupert Goold (King Charles III) will direct the play. Bernthal will portray Sonny Amato, and Moss-Bachrach has been cast as Sal DeSilvia, roles portrayed by Al Pacino and John Cazale, respectively, in the movie. The surnames of the characters have been altered from those in the film.
The play, set in the summer of 1972 in New York City, is expected to release in Spring 2026. The synopsis reads: Step back into the sweltering summer of 1972, New York City—a time when the Vietnam War looms large, Watergate headlines flood the news, and one man’s desperate act captivates the nation. A Brooklyn bank holdup quickly goes wrong, and with each gut-wrenching twist that unfolds, chaos ensues that ignites the city as they follow the actions of a man on the edge. Dog Day Afternoon is a raw, gritty reminder of what happens when passion and desperation collide.
What else does Jon Bernthal star in?
In 2010, Bernthal made his debut as Shane Walsh in AMC's The Walking Dead. The actor's performance in this role paved the way for him to be cast in a wide range of movies and shows. He recently wrapped production for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, which also stars TWD alums Ryan Hurst, Corey Hawkins, and Samantha Morton.
Bernthal's most recent roles include The Accountant 2 with Ben Affleck, where he reprises his role as Brax Wolff. The movie is now available to stream on Prime Video. You can also see him in the spy thriller The Amateur, starring Rami Malek and Laurence Fishburne, which will be available on VOD and digital platforms on June 10.