AHEAD OF THE PACK! DUSTIN HOFFMAN HAS "LUCK"

Never tell him the odds! Dustin Hoffman stars in LUCK. Images: HBO.

No stranger to exploring the seedy side of the American underworld, with its intriguing characters and all-encompassing tentacles into business and entertainment, iconic film and TV genre crossing writer/director Michael Mann, with an already legendary string of TV hits like MIAMI VICE and CRIME STORY under his belt, as well as atmospheric and action-packed film dramas like the epic HEAT, PUBLIC ENEMIES and COLLATERAL, returns to the small screen once again with what looks set to be another stylish and memorably addictive series, this time combining all his favourite aforementioned ingredients and launching them into the exciting and darkly menacing behind the scenes world of the seemingly glamorous "Sport of Kings", for HBO's upcoming series LUCKY, co-created with the striking creative presence of DEADWOOD/NYPD BLUE's David Milch. A new dynamic duo of genre trend setters, in their combined behind the scenes collaborative process they've gone on to garner an incredible all-star group of lead actors for the project (including Jill Hennessy, Michael Gambon (who has the look that US castings directors just love using), Dennis Farina (a Michael Mann acting veteran), Joan Allen (her first TV series work), Nick Nolte (playing a Kentucky racing trainer) and MURDER ONE's Jason Gedrick), headed by the welcome snaring of one of the best of the best in character acting: Dustin Hoffman, in a first of a kind role for him on television, playing the type of individual we've always enjoyed watching him become in the past, if now a more heightened and dangerous presence. In LUCKY he is the influential and admired/feared (in equal measure) crime boss Ace Bernstein, now out of prison having taken the rap for other members of his money amassing cartel brotherhood and well and truly owed a new and successful life in the gambling industry linked to the world of the California Horse Track. Bernstein may be bitter, but he's also clever, shadily manipulative, disreputable and, most of the time, a likably unlikable, and dangerous, rogue: a welcome and far cry from all the character roles he's had in light and frothy films of the last few years. More of this please...

Hoffman as the newly released gangster Ace Bernstein.

Here's a few trailers: Luck Season 1: Breeders Cup Trailer - YouTube
Luck Season 1: Blood Trailer - YouTube
Luck Season 1 Trailer - YouTube
Luck - Behind the Scenes - YouTube

Bernstein with Mob frontman and friend Gus Economou (Dennis Farina)

A nine part story of lady-luck, hubris, love, money, power and ambition, where angels and demons mix violently amidst what will surely be an addictive adrenaline visual rush of colour and energy, look out for LUCK's series debut proper in the US from January 29th (its pilot episode having already aired to critical success last month) and from February on the UK's SKY ATLANTIC.