The Last Frontier: Co-creator Jon Bokenkamp reveals how a 'prison break at 30,000 feet' took flight

Apple TV's latest thriller drama, The Last Frontier, premiered on October 10, 2025, with two episodes. The series follows the story of a U.S. Marshall who is investigating a plane crash that has resulted in several criminals on the loose and has to protect his town from them.

In a new interview with Woman's World, co-creator Jon Bokenkamp shared how he came up with the unique narrative of the thriller series. He shared that he and Richard D'Ovidio, the other co-creator of The Last Frontier, for a long time, had been sitting on the idea of a show about a plane landing and inmates escaping.

While the idea of the plane crash might not be new, the added twist in the show gave it a unique narrative that has captured the viewer's attention. He said:

"What’s different about this is it’s not only bad enough that it’s a plane crash, it’s also its inmates and they’re now out. We say in the show, it’s like a Prison Break at 30,000 feet."

More on this in our story.

The Last Frontier: Co-creator Jon Bokenkamp revealed how the idea of the show came up

In the first two episodes of The Last Frontier, Frank Remnick, a U.S. Marshal, encounters a challenging situation when a plane carrying inmates crashes near his small town in Alaska, putting the safety of the townspeople in jeopardy.

While talking to Woman's World, Jon Bokenkamp shared the idea that a prison transport full of inmates had been in his and Richard's minds for years. Earlier, they thought of landing it in Manhattan and the inmates escaping. However, when they revisited the idea, they came up with the plane crash idea in a secluded location, adding the element of survival to The Last Frontier. He said:

"Years had passed and we revisited the idea. And somehow we thought it’d be far more interesting if it happened in the middle of nowhere and there’s a survival element to the story. All these inmates are confronted by a man who is not really prepared to handle anything like this. He’s capable, but he’s never seen anything like this. That was our starting point."

He also shared about his fear of flying and thought it was due to watching the film Fearless. He quipped:

"That plane crash sequence freaked me out so badly. I think that’s where it sort of started."

Therefore, they added the idea of the plane crash. That's not all, as the twist in the Apple TV series would remind the viewers of another popular show, Prison Break. The 2005 series dealt with a similar theme of inmates escaping. The only difference between the two is that the inmates in the latest show escape after their transport plane crashes in Alaska.

The thriller series stars Jason Clarke as Remnick and also includes a stellar ensemble cast such as Dominic Cooper, Dallas Goldtooth, Rusty Schwimmer, Haley Bennett, Alfre Woodard, and Tait Blum. New episodes of The Last Frontier will be available to stream on Apple TV+ every Friday until the finale, which will premiere on December 5, 2025.

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