The cast and creators of The Terminal List: Dark Wolf on why audiences were craving a prequel

Those hungry for a taste of espionage need look no further than The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, the thrilling new Prime Video series. The action-packed show is a prequel spinoff of 2022’s The Terminal List, which is based on Jack Carr’s novel of the same name and stars Chris Pratt as Navy SEAL James Reece and Taylor Kitsch as Ben Edwards, a CIA operative. The Terminal List was a hit with streaming audiences, whose viewership made it the number one show on Prime Video’s “Top 10” list within two weeks of its premiere, leading to both a renewal for season two and the Dark Wolf spinoff.

Watch The Terminal List: Dark Wolf cast and creators unpack the show.

In The Terminal List, Reece and Edwards are former colleagues and close friends, whose relationship is tested in the show’s dramatic finale. Their friendship’s beginnings are explored in Dark Wolf, which focuses on Edwards’ twist-filled origin story, as he leaves the Navy SEALs to work for the CIA. For Kitsch, who reprises his role as Edwards in Dark Wolf and serves as an executive producer for the series, returning to the world of The Terminal List was a dream come true.

“I think any actor, if someone’s asking you to show more layers and where he came from and why he is the way he is, you’re going to say ‘yes,’” Kitsch says.

For showrunner David DiGiglio, continuing the world of The Terminal List was a must.

“We all knew that we had made something great with The Terminal List season one to see it hit the way it hit,” DiGiglio says. “We knew we wanted to continue.”

For Pratt, who executive produced The Terminal List and helped to option the novel, getting to revisit the role of Reece in Dark Wolf is a testament to how the original show had resonated with audiences. According to Nielsen, The Terminal List was watched for 1.1 billion minutes in its first three days after hitting streaming. Pratt believes that viewers connected with the show because of its authentic depiction of military life, something he attributes to the source material, which was shaped by Carr’s own experience as a Navy SEAL.

“I think the reason both the books and the show resonated and found such an audience is because it’s truly an authentic portrayal of an operator,” Pratt says. “It’s written by a Navy SEAL, Jack Carr, and it’s produced by a team that’s very mindful about military authenticity. We’ve got Navy SEALs, an Army Ranger, various members of the military that are now veterans, on our staff, in front of and behind the camera. The reason it’s compelling is because it’s honest and it’s authentic.”

Actor Tom Hopper, who joins the series as the new character Raife Hastings, agrees with Pratt that deeply committing to authenticity is why the show connects so deeply with audiences.

“What gives it such an authentic feel is because we do this show for those guys in that community, that world,” Hopper says. “It's a show made by vets and Navy SEALs for them.”

Kitsch agrees, noting that the show was created to resonate with the community it represents.

“I know it's authentic to the community—we take so much pride with that,” Kitsch says. “I hope that they see it and it's entertaining. I hope it’s a great escape and it provokes conversation and it shines a light on the fallen and the ones that serve and their families.”

Kitsch’s sentiment highlights why audiences are drawn to Prime Video shows like The Terminal List and Dark Wolf to unwind during their free time. According to the Elevating Everyday Moments report from Amazon Ads, 71% of consumers agree that entertainment improves their quality time experience, and 35% say they seek escapism from their free hours. That’s why Amazon is working with top-tier creatives to bring stories like these to life.

For Carr, who co-created The Terminal List with DiGiglio, seeing the characters of his novel come to life onscreen has been “surreal.”

“It’s been so much fun and I've learned so much,” Carr says. “That all comes down to the team and the people involved. I just feel extremely fortunate. It really is a testament to Amazon Prime Video for taking this risk on us and the team that’s assembled to put this together, it’s become like a family.”

Pratt agrees wholeheartedly with Carr, pointing out that Prime Video’s reach has been essential. Whether it's through explosive military thrillers like Dark Wolf or a beloved young adult romance like The Summer I Turned Pretty, there are no shortages for brands to reach millions of viewers across all genres through Streaming TV ads in Prime Video content. And with the powerful ad tech solutions of Amazon Ads, it's easier than ever to help brands connect with audiences through premium original content.

“We found an incredible partner in Amazon,” Pratt says. “And on top of that, the marketing behind Amazon is something that's really powerful. We can get this to audiences all around the world.”