Six-time Emmy winner John Lithgow is set as a lead opposite star Jeff Bridges in FX’s drama pilot The Old Man, from Black Sails co-creators Jon Steinberg and Robert Levine. In another major coup, the pilot has tapped Jon Watts, who directed and co-wrote blockbusters Spider-Man: Homecoming and its sequel Spider-Man: Far From Home, to direct and executive produce. Filming begins this fall.

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The Old Man, which is based on the eponymous novel written by Thomas Perry, centers on Dan Chase (Bridges), who absconded from the CIA decades ago and has been living off the grid since. When an assassin arrives and tries to take Chase out, the old operative learns that to ensure his future he now must reconcile his past.

Lithgow will play Harold Harper. Intelligent and tough with deep reservoirs of compassion and ruthlessness, Harper is called back to service by the FBI after suffering a terrible personal loss. He has a complicated past with rogue fugitive Chas (Bridges), which makes him uniquely suited for hunting him down.

Warren Littlefield executive produces with Bridges, Steinberg, Levine, Watts, Dan Shotz and David Schiff. Fox 21 Television Studios produces in association with The Littlefield Company.

Tony winner Lithgow’s most recent film projects include Mindy Kaling’s comedy Late Night, The Tomorrow Man opposite Blythe Danner, and Paramount’s remake of Stephen King’s Pet Sematary. Lithgow also plays Roger Ailes in the upcoming film Bombshell, about the Ailes culture at Fox News. He won his latest Emmy for his role as Winston Churchill in The Crown. Lithgow is repped by UTA and Anonymous Content.

Watts most recently directed Marvel/Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man: Far From Home, starring Tom Holland, which broke the record to become Sony Pictures’ most successful film of all time, grossing more than $1 billion worldwide. He’s repped by CAA.

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