The Woods on Netflix: Michelle Keegan reunites with Harlan Coben for new thriller about a missing girl and a family torn apart
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Netflix has announced a brand new Harlan Coben thriller and, after the huge success of Fool Me Once, Michelle Keegan will be back as the leading star of The Woods. Well, it’s a no-brainer!
Fool Me Once is arguably the best of the adaptations so far, so it’s no surprise Harlan and Michelle have reunited for the upcoming The Woods.
But it you think it sounds familiar, you’d be (half) right. The original Polish version, made in 2020, is already on Netflix. But without the star appeal of Michelle Keegan, and her co-star Tom Bateman.
Here’s everything we know so far about the upcoming new series.
What is the next Harlan Coben thriller on Netflix?
Netflix has announced the latest Harlan Coben series will be The Woods. The author is teaming up with Michelle Keegan and Tom Bateman for his latest adaptation. And neither are strangers to a bonkers thriller.
A synopsis for the upcoming series tells us: “Twenty years ago, Paul Copeland’s sister Camille vanished from a summer camp in the woods, a loss that tore his family apart. When a murder victim is revealed to have disappeared along with Paul’s sister, Paul’s hope rises… Could his sister still be alive?”
The limited series is adaptated from Harlan Coben’s 2007 novel of the same name. Danny Brocklehurst has adapted the novel for Netflix. Fans will know he’s no stranger to Netflix’s Harlan Coben adaptations, having previously tackled Fool Me Once, and Run Away.
The Woods is described as a chilling mystery with a romantic core.
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How many episodes will it be?
Harlan Coben’s The Woods will be eight parts, with each episode coming in around 45 minutes long.
This follows the same format of Fool Me Once, which was also eight instalments. Other adaptations have been a pitifully short five episodes. Although we’d always choose quality over quantity!
Who’s in the cast?
Michelle Keegan and Tom Bateman will lead the cast of Harlan Coben’s The Woods. Of course, Michelle’s many fans will know she previously appeared as Maya Stern in the 2024 Fool Me Once. Having made her name on Corrie, she’s now best known for appearing in the now axed Ten Pound Poms, Brassic, and Our Girl.
Tom Bateman is famous for appearing in the bonkers Netflix thriller Behind Her Eyes. It’s known for having one of the most unexpected twists in TV history! He’s also known for The Tunnel, Da Vinci’s Demons, Jekyll and Hyde, Funny Woman, and Based on a True Story.
The ensemble cast also includes:
- After Life and MobLand’s Mandeep Dhillon.
- The Inbetweeners’ James Buckley.
- Small Prophets’ Pearce Quigley.
- Missed Call’s Dean Fagan.
- Comedian Tom Allen in a rare acting role.
- EastEnders’ Tracy-Ann Oberman.
- Call the Midwife’s Christopher Harper.
When’s the start date?
Harlan Coben’s The Woods is now in production in Manchester and the North West of England.
So we shouldn’t expect it any time soon. At best, it might land in the usual New Year’s Day slot in 2027. But there are other Harlan Coben adaptations in the queue.
Is it based on a book?
The Woods is one of 14 titles from bestselling author Coben produced for Netflix. Released as a paperback in 2014, it has a four and a half out of five star rating on Amazon.
A synopsis for the book tells us: “Twenty years ago, four teenagers disappeared in the woods. Now, two decades later, everything is changing…
“Paul Copeland’s sister went missing 20 years ago. Now raising a daughter alone, Cope balances family life with a career as a prosecutor. But when a murder victim is found with evidence linking him to Cope, the well-buried secrets of the past are threatening everything.
“Is this body one of the campers who disappeared with his sister? Could his sister be alive…? Confronting his past, Cope must decide what is better left hidden in the dark and what truths can be brought to light…”
Read more: Harlan Coben series: Lazarus creator’s English-language mysteries from Safe to Missing You
