Bill Nighy has taken many shapes across the stage and screen, from high-ranking wizard to scorned husband to aging rock star. For Prime Video’s new action comedy Ride or Die, the screen legend will tackle a role simply described as “The Director.” Nighy became a household name as Billy Mack on Love Actually, winning over romantic comedy audiences playing a curmudgeonly singer recording a novelty Christmas song as a quick cash grab. This time his role seems a little meatier — at least according to a plot summary shared by Amazon ahead of Ride or Die’s premiere. The show will follow Debbie (Octavia Spencer) and Judith (Hannah Waddingham). The two play good friends who thought they knew everything there is to know about each other, “except Judith turns out to be an international assassin,” according to the streamer. Someone from Judith’s past shows up, a hit goes horribly wrong, and the two friends are suddenly forced to go on the run together. “It’s a race against time and a road trip across Europe, with law enforcement, highly trained assassins, and some very dangerous criminals at their heels,” Amazon says. From what little we know about the show and its characters, it’s safe to assume Nighy’s “Director” may have something to do with Judith’s morbid line of work. All eight episodes of Ride or Die will premiere on Prime Video on July 15.

The fast-paced comedy thriller also stars Ed Skrein (Deadpool), Sylvia Hoeks (Blade Runner 2049), Calam Lynch (Bridgerton), Savannah Steyn (The Gold), Jamie Parker (The Hack), and Jacky Ido (Inglourious Basterds). The show was created by writer and comedian Tessa Coates. Matt Miller, who ran the first season of HBO Max’s Peacemaker, is serving as showrunner, while Bring It On and Ant-Man director Peyton Reed will serve as executive producer alongside Coates and Miller. Ride or Die began filming in February 2025 and wrapped that June in Prague, Czech Republic, according to The Prague Reporter. The media news outlet says the production used many of Prague’s iconic landmarks in the city’s Old Town with the help of local production company Stillking Films.

The show is the first project to premiere in what’s shaping up to be a big summer for Waddingham. The long-awaited fourth season of Ted Lasso, the London-set sports comedy that catapulted her into household name status back in the pandemic binge-watching heyday of 2020, is set to premiere on August 5 on Apple TV. Those episodes will capitalize on the show’s massive success by airing weekly, and if all goes well, Ride or Die may follow in its transatlantic footsteps.

Release Date

July 15, 2026

Network

Prime Video

Showrunner

Matt Miller

Directors

Peyton Reed, Lauren Wolkstein

Writers

Tessa Coates