Sony Pictures Television announced on Friday that Netflix has acquired the U.S. rights to Lord of the Flies, a new limited series created by Jack Thorne, known for Adolescence. The series is an adaptation of William Golding’s classic novel of the same name.
The show’s synopsis describes: “When a group of boys crash-land on a deserted island, their fight for survival spirals into something much darker.”
In the UK, the BBC aired the series and released a trailer. Set in the 1950s, the story begins with a plane crash that leaves a group of schoolboys stranded on a remote Pacific island. With no adults around, two boys—Ralph (Winston Sawyers) and Jack (Lox Pratt)—emerge as leaders. As chaos ensues, the boys’ innocence erodes, and their attempts to maintain civility lead to chaos and tragedy. The synopsis notes: “Led by Ralph and supported by the intellectual Piggy, the boys try to stay organized, but Jack, responsible for the signal fire, becomes obsessed with hunting and power, gradually pulling the boys away from hope and into darkness.”
The cast also includes David McKenna as Piggy, Ike Talbut as Simon, Thomas Connor as Roger, Noah as Sam, Cassius Flemyng as Eric, Cornelius Brandreth as Maurice, and Tom Page-Turner as Bill.
Jack Thorne, who wrote and created the series—the first TV adaptation of Golding’s novel—has gained acclaim for Adolescence, an Emmy-winning limited series that became Netflix’s second-most-watched English-language show after Wednesday Season 1.
The four-part series was directed by Marc Munden, with Joel Wilson serving as an executive producer.
Lord of the Flies first premiered on the BBC on February 8. Netflix has yet to announce a release date for its U.S. debut.
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