Amazon Unleashes 'Dark Wolf' This August — More Guns, More Grit, Less Therapy

Rachel
6 days ago
3 min read

Two soldiers in camo gear hold rifles in a rustic, worn room. They wear night vision goggles, appearing focused and alert.

Lock and Load — Dark Wolf Is Coming for You

If you thought The Terminal List was intense, buckle up, because Amazon Prime is kicking the doors down with The Terminal List: Dark Wolf. Set to premiere in August 2025, this gritty prequel promises more covert ops, morally gray decisions, and enough adrenaline to power a SEAL team through hell and back. Fans of the original Chris Pratt-led action-thriller can rejoice — but this time, it’s Taylor Kitsch stepping into the explosive spotlight.

Oh, and we’ve got first-look photos. Spoiler alert: they’re moody, muscled, and full of “I’ve-seen-things” stares.

Let’s unpack everything we know about Dark Wolf — from the star-studded cast to the storyline that dives deep into the shadowy corridors of the CIA’s dark playbook.

Before James Reece was a walking vendetta with a Navy SEAL background and a kill list longer than your tax returns, there was Ben Edwards — and Dark Wolf is all about his origin story.

Set five years before the events of The Terminal List, the prequel follows Edwards (played by Taylor Kitsch) as he transitions from elite Navy SEAL to covert CIA paramilitary operator. Think black ops, ethical ambiguity, and decisions that would make your therapist sweat.

Expect the series to explore the emotional and psychological toll of warfare, while still delivering the shootouts, betrayals, and Machiavellian chess moves that made the original series a fan-favorite.

Of course, Dark Wolf wouldn’t be complete without some heavy hitters.

Taylor Kitsch returns as Ben Edwards, a character whose descent into the moral murk is both tragic and badass.
Chris Pratt is back as James Reece (you didn’t think he’d really sit this one out, did you?).
Tom Hopper joins the fray as Raife Hastings, a Navy SEAL who’s as deadly as he is loyal.
Luke Hemsworth plays Jules Landry, a volatile CIA contractor who probably keeps HR very busy.
Dar Salim takes on the role of Mo Farooq, an Iraqi Special Forces officer caught in the middle of the chaos.

The chemistry? Electric. The body count? Probably high. The drama? Delicious.

Amazon released a handful of first-look images, and let’s just say: if moody lighting and thousand-yard stares were Olympic events, this cast is going for gold.

One shot features Kitsch mid-operation, eyes steely, jaw clenched — basically a mood board for “high-functioning trauma.” Another shows Chris Pratt in a darkened war room, likely plotting or brooding (or both). If you liked the hyperreal, emotionally-charged cinematography of The Terminal List, Dark Wolf is clearly dialing it up even further.

Dark Wolf isn’t just muscle and gunpowder — it’s got brains behind the brawn. The prequel is co-created by Jack Carr, the real-life Navy SEAL-turned-author whose books inspired the series, and David DiGilio, the showrunner of the original.

Producers include Chris Pratt, Taylor Kitsch, and yes, the always-stylish Antoine Fuqua (of Training Day and The Equalizer fame), who might also direct a few episodes. Military consultants Max Adams and Jared Shaw add real-world grit, so don’t expect any action movie fluff here.

In an entertainment world oversaturated with prequels no one asked for (looking at you, random streaming spinoff #38), Dark Wolf actually earns its stripes. It expands the Terminal List universe with purpose, exploring the cost of loyalty, the making of a mercenary, and what happens when good men start playing dirty.

Plus, it's the kind of high-stakes, pulse-pounding action TV that doesn’t talk down to its audience.

Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the original series or just here for gritty espionage, The Terminal List: Dark Wolf is shaping up to be the prequel you’ll actually want to binge. With a killer cast, intense storytelling, and visuals that scream prestige-TV-with-bullets, it might just be your next obsession.