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Duster (2025) show: What to Expect from Josh Holloway’s High-Speed Crime Drama
Buckle up — Max has just dropped the first trailer for Duster, and it’s already turning heads. From high-octane chase scenes to gritty desert showdowns, this crime drama looks like it’s racing straight into must-watch territory. With Josh Holloway in the driver’s seat and an adrenaline-pumping vibe, the series teases a thrilling ride through chaos and crime.
Max has a track record of delivering standout originals like Hacks and Tokyo Vice, and Duster looks poised to become its next big hit. While getaway drivers are nothing new in pop culture, Holloway’s take promises something fresh, fast, and fiercely stylish. From cast reveals to episode rollout plans, there’s a lot to uncover about this bold new crime saga.
Whether you're here for the action, the cast, or just want to see if Duster can outrun the competition, we’ve got you covered with every exciting detail. Here’s the kicker — we’re keeping a close eye on Duster and updating this guide with every major development. So stay locked in, because this wild ride is just getting started.
Release date & Where to Watch
Duster premieres on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 9 pm ET, exclusively on Max. The eight-episode season will roll out weekly, with new episodes dropping every Thursday until the finale airs on July 3, 2025.
What is the plot of Duster (2025) show?
Set in the dusty, volatile Southwest of 1972, Duster tells the story of Nina, the FBI’s first Black female agent, who launches a daring mission to bring down a rising crime syndicate. To do so, she partners with Jim Ellis, a scrappy and skilled getaway driver with deep ties to the criminal underworld—most notably to the enigmatic and dangerous crime boss Ezra Saxton, who may be linked to dark chapters in both Nina and Jim’s pasts.
The series kicks off when Nina recruits Jim to be her informant, setting off a wild and dangerous ride packed with high-speed chases, double-crosses, and explosive violence. As the trailer teases, when David’s Saxton asks Jim, “How do you feel about violence?”—the tone is clear: the danger is just beginning. What starts as risky becomes "wildly, stupidly dangerous" when these two unlikely allies join forces.
According to showrunner LaToya Morgan, the concept started with a simple image from co-creator J.J. Abrams: “It was a phone booth with a phone ringing in the middle of the desert and a car driving up to it.” (via TV Insider) That evocative moment became the series’ pilot scene and the foundation for a story rooted in character-driven crime drama.
“We started talking about it together, really pitching what this story could be, who is the driver and why would he be in the middle of the desert doing, of course, some nefarious things,” he added.
Though the series features outrageous kills, Tarantino-style bloodshed, and Bullitt-worthy car chases, it also explores deeper themes—like systemic corruption and the “weaponization of hate within a federal agency.” Rachel Hilson adds, “The more we are empowered by seemingly illicit knowledge we’re uncovering, the greater the targets on our backs.”
As Abrams told The Hollywood Reporter, Duster won’t be your average period crime show. “It isn’t straightforward. There are a lot of things that you don’t expect... You never quite know, when you open a door, what kind of unexpected criminal mind is going to be behind it.” He also promises cliffhangers in every episode to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
With fast cars, sharp dialogue, deep characters, and a whole lot of grit, Duster is shaping up to be a stylish, subversive thrill ride through America’s dark past.
Who’s Starring in Duster (2025) show?
- Josh Holloway (Lost, Yellowstone) as Jim
- Rachel Hilson (This Is Us) as Nina
- Keith David (The Princess and the Frog, The Thing) as Ezra
- Sydney Elisabeth (The Last O.G.) as Genesis
- Greg Grunberg (The Fabelmans) as Abbott
- Camille Guaty (The Rookie) as Izzy
- Adriana Aluna Martinez as Luna
- Corbin Bernsen as Wade Ellis
- Gail O'Grady as Charlotte Dean-Ellis
- Donal Logue as Sergeant Groomes
- Kevin Chamberlin as Bob Temple
- Sofia Vassilieva as Jessica-Lorraine Sims
- Dan Tracy as Agent Chad Grant
- Rob Tode as Anesthesiologist
- Mikandrew as Angelo
- Reavis Dorsey as Lyle
- McKenzie Scott as Party Guest
- David Kallaway as Clifton
- Jonathan Dixon as Norman
- Mikaela Hoover as Adrienne Barbeau
- J.R. Yenque as Cowboy
- Jasper Keen as Sean
- Roman Mitichyan as Andrei
- Benjamin Charles Watson (Designated Survivor) as Royce
- Asivak Koostachin (Montana Story) as Awan
- Evan Jones
- Brandon Stacy
- Silver Rae Fox
Is There a Trailer for Duster (2025) show?
The official trailer for Duster propels viewers into a gritty, high-octane world set in the 1970s American Southwest. Opening with a tense desert scene, a lone car speeds toward a ringing phone booth—a visual that encapsulates the series' blend of suspense and retro flair.
The narrative centers on Jim, a skilled getaway driver entangled with a burgeoning crime syndicate, and Nina, the first Black female FBI agent determined to dismantle it. Their dynamic is charged, with Nina asserting, “I may be the enemy in your eyes, but what matters is taking him down”.
The trailer showcases high-speed chases, confrontations in smoky bars, and the volatile chemistry between the leads, all underscored by a pulsating '70s soundtrack. Visually, Duster captures the sun-bleached desperation of the era, with the Southwest setting serving as a character in its own right.
The series promises a blend of action, moral ambiguity, and period authenticity, inviting viewers into a world where every choice is fraught with danger and loyalty is a shifting concept.
Episode Guide
- Season 1 Episode 1 (Thursday, May 15, 2025)
- Season 1 Episode 2 (Thursday, May 22, 2025)
- Season 1 Episode 3 (Thursday, May 29, 2025)
- Season 1 Episode 4 (Thursday, June 5, 2025)
- Season 1 Episode 5 (Thursday, June 12, 2025)
- Season 1 Episode 6 (Thursday, June 19, 2025)
- Season 1 Episode 7 (Thursday, June 26, 2025)
- Season 1 Episode 8 (Thursday, July 3, 2025)
Filming Details
Filming for Duster began with the pilot, which was shot from September to mid-November 2021 in downtown Tucson, Arizona, and parts of Pima County. (via Wildcat.arizona.edu) Full-scale production later kicked off in April 2023 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and surrounding areas. (via nmfilm & Screen Global Production)
Behind the Scenes
Duster is an upcoming American crime thriller series created by J.J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan. Morgan serves as the showrunner and co-wrote the first two episodes with Abrams. These episodes are directed by Steph Green, who also joins the production as an executive producer.
The music is composed by Laura Karpman, with striking cinematography from Carmen Cabana. Produced by Bad Robot Productions, TinkerToy Productions, and Warner Bros. Television, the series also features Rachel Rusch Rich as an executive producer.
Check out the video below to get to know more behind the scenes insights from Duster creators.
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