Billy Bob Thornton to star on legal drama 'The Trail'

Los Angeles: "Fargo" star Billy Bob Thornton has been signed on to star on David E Kelley's legal drama "The Trial".

The role will mark the small-screen follow-up after his Emmy-nominated turn in 2014 crime-drama anthology "Fargo", said The Hollywood Reporter.

"The Trial" centres on Billy McBride (Thornton), a once respectable lawyer who was ousted from the high-profile firm he co-founded and later gets invigorated professionally when a young lawyer brings him a wrongful death case that pits him against the head of his former firm.

Written by Kelley and his Boston Legal/Practice cohort Jonathan Shapiro, the project will be Amazon's first straight-to-series order.

Thornton, 59, recently guest starred on "The Big Bang Theory" as well as features like "Entourage" and "The Judge".