Milo Ventimiglia moves on from this is us to lead Chicago-shot pilot American Blue
The streamer has ordered a pilot for American Blue, a gritty police drama that will shoot in the Chicago area beginning in April 2026 (ET). Milo Ventimiglia will star as Brian “Milk” Milkovich and holds a co-executive producer credit on the project, which is being directed by David Ayer.
Production plans and local footprint
American Blue will base its production offices and interior sets at the Cinespace Studios Kedzie campus, with much of the on-location work slated for the Joliet area. Filming is expected to begin in April 2026 (ET), with a decision on a full series order to follow after the pilot. If the pilot is greenlit for series, episode production would be scheduled to begin in June 2026 (ET).
The series is set in Joliet and centers on a disgraced hometown cop, Brian “Milk” Milkovich, who returns seeking redemption and helps rebuild a beleaguered police department. Producers plan to leverage Joliet’s historic downtown and landmarks to ground the show in an authentically Midwestern landscape; the city’s long history as a filming backdrop is expected to contribute to the project’s visual identity.
Creative team and cast details
Ventimiglia leads the pilot and serves as a co-executive producer. He is best known for his long-running role on This Is Us and brings Emmy-nominated television experience to the lead. David Ayer is attached to direct the pilot and will also serve as an executive producer, lending a cinematic, hard-edged sensibility to the material.
Jeremy Carver created and wrote the pilot and will serve as a writer and executive producer. Additional producers attached include Brian Udovich and Neil Reynolds as executive producers, Russ Cundiff as a producer, and Richard Lederer as line producer. Casting beyond Ventimiglia has not yet been finalized; more announcements are expected as the April shoot approaches.
Why Joliet and what to expect
Producers say the choice of Joliet and surrounding Chicagoland locations is meant to deliver tangible atmosphere and realism to the story of a department under strain. Using established studio space for interiors while shooting exteriors across the region is intended to combine controlled production values with the texture of real Midwestern streets and landmarks.
Local officials have noted the region’s track record hosting film and television productions, and this project will continue a steady flow of shoots that tap into the area’s historic architecture and industrial settings. The pilot’s success will determine whether the narrative expands into the longer-form season model envisioned by the creative team, which would allow for extended character arcs and deep procedural storytelling across multiple episodes.
As production ramps up in the spring, additional casting, scheduling and community logistics will be communicated to area stakeholders. For now, the project represents a high-profile return to television for Ventimiglia in a markedly different role from his previous work, anchored by a production plan that places Chicago-area locations at its core.
