Jensen Ackles to lead MGM+ crime drama Rules of Prey

Jensen Ackles will play Lucas Davenport in Rules of Prey, a crime drama ordered by MGM+.

The series has a green light, meaning it will go straight to production as an eight-episode season. Deadline reported the commission as an exclusive on 22 September 2026.

The story starts with the books. Rules of Prey is based on the first novel in John Sandford's Prey series, which follows Davenport as a Minneapolis detective tracking a killer. That book sets up the character for television.

Bruce Terris created the television adaptation. He serves as showrunner, the writer in charge of the series day to day, and as executive producer, a senior role with creative oversight.

Ackles will also executive produce alongside Terris. Daniel Sackheim will direct the first two episodes and executive produce. Sandford, the author behind the novels, is aboard as a co-producer.

The series comes from MGM Television and Take 5 Productions. Filming will take place in Toronto.

MGM+ will premiere the show in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Italy and Belgium. It will also launch on the service in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Chile, according to the report. Deadline

For viewers, this means one job is settled and another now starts. Ackles has his next leading role. The crew in Toronto gets an eight-part detective story to build.