Daniel Dae Kim’s Spy Thriller ‘Butterfly’ Premieres August 13 on Prime Video

Prime Video’s upcoming spy-thriller series Butterfly is set to debut all six episodes on August 13, 2025, and it promises an intense, character-rich dive into espionage and personal reckoning.

Led by Daniel Dae Kim, who also executive produces, Butterfly is based on the graphic novel from BOOM! Studios and is shaping up to be more than your typical spy series.

Daniel Dae Kim, known for memorable roles in Lost, Hawaii Five-0, and Avatar: The Last Airbender, finally steps into the spotlight as the central figure. He portrays David Jung, a mysterious and unpredictable ex-intelligence operative hiding in South Korea. His quiet existence is shattered when a haunting decision from his past resurfaces – not just as guilt, but in the form of Rebecca (Reina Hardesty), a ruthless young agent sent to eliminate him on behalf of a covert organization named Caddis.

“Butterfly is a dream project that connects American and Korean storytelling in a truly global espionage tale,” Kim shared. “We’ve built something that reflects deep character exploration, cultural nuance, and thrilling tension.”

While the spy-thriller genre often leans into action tropes, Butterfly is described as “character-driven” – a risky but potentially rewarding path that could separate it from generic procedural dramas. This choice invites comparisons to prestige series like The Americans, which combined slow-burn intrigue with emotional depth.

The cast is stacked with talent from both the U.S. and South Korea: Piper Perabo (Yellowstone), Louis Landau (Rivals), Kim Ji-hoon, Park Hae-soo, Kim Tae-hee, and more. Ken Woodruff (The Mentalist, Gotham) and novelist Steph Cha serve as co-creators and executive producers alongside Kim, ensuring a strong blend of script-driven tension and visual storytelling.

Will Butterfly rise above its procedural appearance and deliver something fresh in the spy genre? Given the pedigree and cultural fusion involved, it’s worth watching – if only to see Daniel Dae Kim finally take the lead he’s long deserved.