Josh Lucas (“The Lincoln Lawyer,” “Sweet Home Alabama”) is set to star in Entertainment One (eOne) and Sony Pictures Television Network’s new legal drama series “The Firm,” based on John Grisham’s best-selling novel and executive-produced by Grisham and Lukas Reiter.

Lucas, whose feature-film credits include Ron Howard’s “A Beautiful Mind,” Jerry Bruckheimer’s “Glory Road,” and Ang Lee’s “Hulk,” will star as attorney Mitchell McDeere (the role originated by Tom Cruise in the film) in the series, which picks up McDeere’s story about a decade after the events of the novel and film.

Lucas also stars as famed aviator Charles Lindbergh in Imagine Entertainment’s upcoming 2011 film, “J. Edgar,” directed by Oscar winner Clint Eastwood and starring Academy Award winner Leonardo DiCaprio as controversial FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.

Based on the blockbuster feature film and the best-selling novel of 1991, with seven million copies sold by world-renowned author Grisham (“The Pelican Brief,” “The Client”), “The Firm” continues the story of attorney Mitchell McDeere (Lucas) who, as a young associate, brought down the prestigious Memphis law firm of Bendini, Lambert & Locke, which operated as a front for the Chicago mob. After a difficult decade, which included a stay in the Federal Witness Protection program, McDeere and his family now emerge from isolation to reclaim their lives and their future — only to find that past dangers are still lurking and new threats are everywhere.

Lucas’ other credits include hit Broadway and off-Broadway plays, and the feature films “American Psycho,” “The Deep End,” “You Can Count on Me,” “Wonderland” and the recently released “Daydream Nation.” Lucas produced and starred in “Death in Love” and the upcoming “A Year in Mooring.” He recently finished Jack Kerouac’s “Big Sur,” playing Neal Cassady, and “Medallion” opposite Nicolas Cage.

“The Firm” is produced by Entertainment One in association with Sony Pictures Television Networks and Paramount Pictures. The executive producers are Grisham, Lukas Reiter (“Law & Order,” “Boston Legal”), John Morayniss (“Haven,” “Hung”), Michael Rosenberg (“Hung,” “Skins”) and Noreen Halpern (“Rookie Blue,” “Hung”).

The series will be broadcast on AXN networks in more than 125 territories or countries around the globe. eOne Television will retain basic and pay television, broadcast television and digital/DVD rights for the show outside of AXN markets and handle distribution of the series worldwide, including the U.S. and Canada.