Hollywood actor J K Simmons has joined Will Poulter as a series regular in Apple TV’s upcoming crime thriller series ‘Beat the Reaper’. The series is based on Josh Bazell’s novel of the same name.

According to a PTI report from  Los Angeles, Simmons will play Dr Friendly, an incompetent surgeon who works at the same Boston hospital as Poulter’s character, Dr Peter Brown. Poulter plays Brown, a young intern who is talented at medicine but is hiding a dangerous past.

The story follows Brown as he works at one of Boston’s toughest hospitals. His life changes when one of his patients recognises him from his past. Brown then finds himself on the run from government agents and mob hitmen while trying to stay alive.

The series is being developed by Apple Studios and New Regency. Sam Catlin is the showrunner and executive producer. Catlin is also executive producing the project under his overall deal with Apple TV.Tim Van Patten will direct the pilot episode and serve as an executive producer. He is known for his work on shows such as ‘The Sopranos’, ‘Boardwalk Empire’ and ‘Black Mirror’.

Other executive producers include Arnon Milchan, Yariv Milchan, Natalie Lehmann and Laura Delahaye for New Regency, while Rachel Toffler will serve as co-executive producer.

Simmons won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as music instructor Terence Fletcher in ‘Whiplash’. He later received another Oscar nomination for his performance as William Frawley in ‘Being the Ricardos’.