“Gritty, Dark, and Scary”: Lukas Gage Drops First Details on Hulu’s ‘Prison Break’ Reboot

Lukas Gage is stepping into the world of politics, but only for a new television role. The actor will play an aspiring politician in Hulu’s upcoming Prison Break series, taking on the role of a candidate running for Congress for the first time.

Gage recently opened up about preparing for the character during the premiere of his new movie Voicemails for Isabelle at Netflix’s Tudum Theater in Hollywood. Speaking with Variety, the actor explained that he looked at real-life politicians for inspiration, especially former West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin.

“I’ve watched Joe Manchin, who was running for Congress in West Virginia forever,” Gage told Variety. “He’s been like the template of who I’ve been watching, but a lot of people that I admire, like Obama — not as much Spencer Pratt — more Obama vibes.”

For the role, Gage wanted to understand how politicians present themselves in public and how they connect with voters. Instead of copying one person, he said he looked at different personalities and leadership styles to help build his character.

The new Prison Break project will bring viewers back into the same universe as the original series, which aired on Fox from 2005 to 2009. However, this time the story will focus on new characters and a different storyline. According to Variety, the upcoming Hulu series will not be a direct continuation but rather a fresh take set in the world fans already know.

Gage joins a cast that includes Emily Browning and Drake Rodger. The new series is being developed by Elgin James, who is writing and executive producing the pilot. The production team also includes original Prison Break creator Paul Scheuring, along with Dawn Olmstead, Marty Adelstein, and Neal Moritz as executive producers.

While details about the plot are still limited, Gage has teased that the new version will have a darker and more intense tone. He explained that the series will respect what made the original show popular while creating something different.

“It’s gritty and it’s dark and it’s scary,” Gage said. “We definitely pay homage to the old series, but it’s a very new take on it.” He added that James brings a personal connection and a unique perspective to the story.

The actor also pointed out that moving the series to Hulu gives the team more creative freedom. “It’s on Hulu, too. It’s not Fox, so we can get really gritty on this one,” he said.

Along with his upcoming television role, Gage is also appearing in the romantic drama Voicemails for Isabelle. The film stars Zoey Deutch as a culinary school student dealing with loss while leaving emotional voicemail messages for her late sister. The story follows her life as she begins a relationship with a man played by Nick Robinson.

In the movie, Gage plays a fellow culinary student with a unique style, including a neck tattoo, mustache, and a classic pompadour hairstyle. Speaking about the look, he revealed that the hairstyle was especially important to him.

“The pompadour was really important to me,” Gage said. “That’s all my hair. That’s my hair on my head, but not on my face because I can’t grow a mustache.”

With roles in both film and television, Gage continues to take on a wide range of characters, from dramatic parts to more unusual and comedic roles. His upcoming appearance in Hulu’s Prison Break will give him a chance to explore a completely different type of character as he steps into the shoes of a politician trying to win over voters.

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