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Tom's Guide
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
'The Institute' brings Stephen King's dark and suspenseful thriller series to life in first trailer
Stephen King has been my favorite author for as long as I can remember, so the moment I heard 'The Institute' was getting a TV adaptation, I was instantly on board. MGM Plus gave us a few first-look images last year, but now the streamer has dropped the official trailer along with a release date: July 13, 2025. For those who aren't familiar with King's work, 'The Institute" centers around a brilliant teenager who's abducted from his home and wakes up in a mysterious facility. There, he discovers he's not alone since dozens of other kids have been taken just like him, all of them gifted with strange, supernatural powers. It's part 'Stranger Things,' part 'Firestarter,' and classic King in its exploration of power and the abuse of authority. This is definitely one worth adding to your watchlist next month. The trailer introduces us to Luke (Joe Freeman) as he wakes up inside the mysterious facility known as the Institute, where he discovers he's not alone — other kids with strange abilities are being held there too. He quickly crosses paths with the cold and calculating Ms. Sigsby (Mary-Louise Parker), who tries to convince him that the purpose of the Institute is for the greater good. As Luke endures disturbing experiments, he learns the other kids are quietly planning a way out. Meanwhile, a separate storyline follows Tim (Ben Barnes), a former cop digging into something suspicious. The rest of the trailer builds toward a powerful turning point, with Luke emerging as a leader among the kidnapped kids. He begins to unite the group, encouraging them to stand up to their captors and take control of their fate. Along with the trailer we also got an official synopsis, which reads: 'The Institute follows the story of teen genius Luke Ellis (Freeman), who is kidnapped and awakens at The Institute, a facility full of children who all got there the same way he did and who are all possessed of unusual abilities. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. 'In a nearby town, haunted former police officer Tim Jamieson (Barnes) has come looking to start a new life, but the peace and quiet won't last, as his story and Luke's are destined to collide.' The series is helmed by director and executive producer Jack Bender, known for his work on 'Lost' and 'From' (one of my favorite shows ever), with the script penned by Benjamin Cavell, who previously wrote for 'Justified' and 'The Stand.' Both bring plenty of Stephen King experience to the table, having tackled his haunting stories before. Stephen King is on board as an executive producer, joining forces with Bender, Cavell, Gary Barber, Sam Sheridan, and Ed Redlich to bring the series to life. With King involved behind the scenes, fans can expect the show to hold true to the novel's intense, unsettling tone. Joining Freeman, Barnes, and Parker are joined by other strong talents including Simone Miller as Kalisha, Fionn Laird as Nick, Viggo Hanvelt as Avery, Arlen So as George, Julian Richings as Stackhouse, Robert Joy as Hendricks, and Hannah Galway as Wendy. In the TV adaptation, Luke's age has been increased by a few years compared to the original novel, and the same change applies to several other characters as well. During the panel at Content London (h/t Variety), Bender said: 'We were very aware of not wanting this to be as awful as it can be, what these kids go through. We didn't want it to be a sadistic experience. There's a fine line and, god knows, as storytellers we didn't want to go there.' MGM Plus has been drawing plenty of attention with its recent horror-thriller lineup, especially with hits like 'From,' which quickly became one of their standout series. They're also familiar territory when it comes to Stephen King adaptations, having worked on a limited series based on 'Jerusalem's Lot,' a prequel story to King's 'Salem's Lot.' The streaming service plans to release new episodes of 'The Institute' on a weekly basis to build anticipation and keep viewers coming back regularly. There will be eight episodes in total to enjoy. No matter if you've been reading King for decades or are just stepping into his universe for the first time, 'The Institute' is shaping up to be one of the most unmissable TV releases of summer 2025. 'The Institute' premieres with two episodes on July 13, 9pm ET/PT on MGM Plus.
NBC News
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Sarah Michelle Gellar reveals next 'chosen one' in 'Buffy'
Ryan Kiera Armstrong has staked the role of the new slayer in town in the upcoming 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' revival. The 15-year-old actor will co-star with original series lead Sarah Michelle Gellar. The two actors shared the news May 15 in a joint Instagram post featuring a video that showed Gellar breaking the casting news to Armstrong. 'How do you feel about helping me save the world?' 48-year-old Gellar asked Armstrong in the clip. 'Good,' responded Armstrong, who appeared unsure of Gellar's meaning. 'Do you want to be my Chosen One'?' Gellar asked her, which prompted Armstrong to cover her mouth as she burst into tears. 'Will you stand by my side and save the world with me?' Gellar asked while Armstrong, sobbing still, nodded her head. 'Ryan, we all love you,' Gellar said, 'and from the second we all saw your (audition) tape, there was nobody else in our eyes that could do it, that we wanted to do it with, and I am so excited to stand by your side and have you be my partner on this journey.' 'This is so exciting. Oh my gosh,' said Armstrong, looking around the room in disbelief. 'Yes, yes. For sure, yes. Um, thank you. I'm so excited.' 'Welcomed to New Sunnydale,' Gellar told Armstrong, who then called her dad into the room. 'What do you think? Are you ready for this journey?' Gellar asked Armstrong's father. 'I know this is exactly where she's supposed to be right now,' the proud dad responded. Gellar wrote in the caption of her post, 'I want to introduce you to @ryankarmstrong. From the moment I saw Ryan's audition, I knew there was only one girl that I wanted by my side. 'To have that kind of emotional intelligence , and talent, at such a young age is truly a gift. The bonus is that her smile lights up even the darkest room. Welcome to #NewSunnydale #btvs,' she added. Armstrong's Instagram bio now reads, 'slayer.' 'I'm so beyond thankful and excited to share that i am going to be apart of the BTVS universe!!! i am so excited for this journey with you @sarahmgellar i am in awe of you,' Armstrong wrote in a separate post on Instagram. The teen went on to thank others involved in the upcoming series as well as her 'amazing parents' who, she wrote, 'have allowed me to do my dream.' 'I WONT LET YOU GUYS DOWN!!' she added. At 15, Armstrong already boasts an impressive acting resume. She played the lead role in the 2022 horror flick 'Firestarter' (a remake of the 1984 film starring Drew Barrymore) and portrayed the daughter of Nicolas Cage's gunslinger character in the 2023 Western 'The Old Way.' Armstrong also appeared in the feature films 'Wildflower,' 'The Art of Racing In the Rain' and 'Black Widow' and appeared as a regular on the television series 'Anne with an E' and Season 10 of 'American Horror Story.' Gellar, who has long resisted the idea of a 'Buffy' spinoff, confirmed in February that she was involved in a reboot, helmed by Oscar-winning 'Nomadland' director Chloé Zhao. The original 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' which also starred Alyson Hannigan, Michelle Trachtenberg, David Boreanaz, Emma Caulfield and Anthony Head, aired from 1997 to 2003 and told the story of a teenage girl in the fictional Sunnydale, California, whose destiny was to fight vampires and other demons in order to save the world. The 'Buffy' series, which was created by Joss Whedon, was based on the 1992 movie of the same name, starring Kristy Swanson, Donald Sutherland, Paul Reubens and Luke Perry.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' casts Ryan Kiera Armstrong as the new chosen one
As we're told in the opening credits of the early Buffy episodes, in every generation there's a chosen one. The reboot has officially found theirs. Ryan Kiera Armstrong will star opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar in the untitled Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot, which has a pilot order at Hulu, according to Deadline. The 15-year-old actress, whose credits include Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Firestarter and American Horror Story, first learned she landed the part from the original vampire slayer herself, Sarah Michelle Gellar. 'I know this process has been hard, and there's been so many parts with me being out of the country. There was just sort of one part of it that I just wanted to ask you, and I wanted to make sure that you were OK with,' Gellar told Armstrong in a recorded Zoom call shared to Instagram. 'How do you feel about helping me save the world? You want to be my chosen one?' Gellar shared the heartfelt footage on Instagram on Thursday, introducing Armstrong to her followers and fans of the original series. The Buffy alum, who most recently appeared on Dexter: Original Sin, will also be executive producing the reboot. 'From the moment I saw Ryan's audition, I knew there was only one girl I wanted by my side,' she wrote. 'To have that kind of emotional intelligence, and talent, at such a young age is truly a gift. The bonus is that her smile lights up even the darkest room. Welcome to #NewSunnydale.' Sunnydale, for those unfamiliar, is the name of the fictional California city in which the original series takes place. Armstrong, in an Instagram post of her own, shared her excitement in boarding the project and joining the 'Buffyverse.' 'I'm so beyond thankful and excited to share that I am going to be apart of the BTVS universe!!! I am so excited for this journey with you @sarahmgellar I am in awe of you,' she wrote on Thursday. News of Armstrong's casting comes days after Gellar and her Buffy the Vampire Slayer costar Alyson Hannigan reunited to discuss the importance of meningitis vaccinations for teenagers. While Hannigan has yet to confirm whether she'll be part of the show's reboot, fans believe she may be leaving hints of her involvement. The actress, who played Buffy's best friend, Willow Rosenberg, on the show, captioned a recent Instagram post 'Suiting up to talk all things Sunnydale.' 'I hope that it brings comfort,' Gellar told SiriusXM Hits 1's The Morning Mash Up about the reboot. 'Buffy is still hitting people who are watching it for the first time, and they're seeing themselves, and they're seeing their friends, and they're finding their chosen family. And I think more than ever right now, as we get more and more divided, we need that chosen family, so I hope to provide a new chosen family.' The untitled Buffy pilot was first revealed to be in the works in February. Academy Award winner Chloé Zhao is attached to direct the pilot, while Nora Zuckerman and Lilla Zuckerman are set to write, showrun and executive produce the series. Original Buffy executive producers Gail Berman, Fran Kuzui and Dolly Parton will also executive produce the reboot alongside Gellar. Buffy the Vampire Slayer ran for seven seasons, from 1997 to 2003, and spawned a spin-off series, Angel, which aired from 1999 to 2004. Gellar began playing the titular vampire slayer at just 19 years old. In 2001, she earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Drama for her starring role. Gellar told People in March that the reboot is moving along faster than she expected. 'We've set up our offices, which means things are progressing probably faster than I'd anticipated,' she said, adding that she thinks it's still going to take some time to bring it all together. 'To do it the way it needs to be done, everyone has to be patient with all of us, because this isn't something that [will just happen].'
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' reboot casts Ryan Kiera Armstrong in lead role
The "Buffy" universe has added its newest slayer. On Thursday, Ryan Kiera Armstrong's addition to the cast of the upcoming "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" reboot was announced. A tearful Armstrong let out an emotional "yes" to Sarah Michelle Gellar's offer to join the production. The sweet exchange was shared to Gellar, Armstrong and Hulu's Instagram accounts Thursday, amid the news Armstrong had been cast in the lead role in the upcoming, untitled reboot. "From the moment I saw Ryan's audition, I knew there was only one girl that I wanted by my side," Gellar, who played Buffy Summers in the original "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," captioned the social post. "To have that kind of emotional intelligence and talent, at such a young age is truly a gift. The bonus is that her smile lights up even the darkest room." The project's executive producers, Nora Zuckerman and Lilla Zuckerman, added of the star, "We are so overjoyed to have found this generation's slayer in Ryan Kiera Armstrong, she absolutely blew us away — there is no question in our mind that she is the chosen one." Armstrong's credits include Disney+'s "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew" and "Firestarter," the sci-fi horror film based on Stephen King's 1980 novel of the same name. Armstrong can also be seen in Netflix's "Anne with an E" and "American Horror Story." While not many other details have been shared about Armstrong's role as Buffy, she took to social media with a post expressing how she is "beyond thankful," "excited for this journey" and "in awe" of her co-star Gellar. "I'm still in so much shock and disbelief," she wrote.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' casts Ryan Kiera Armstrong as the new chosen one
As we're told in the opening credits of the early Buffy episodes, in every generation there's a chosen one. The reboot has officially found theirs. Ryan Kiera Armstrong will star opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar in the untitled Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot, which has a pilot order at Hulu, according to Deadline. The 15-year-old actress, whose credits include Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Firestarter and American Horror Story, first learned she landed the part from the original vampire slayer herself, Sarah Michelle Gellar. 'I know this process has been hard, and there's been so many parts with me being out of the country. There was just sort of one part of it that I just wanted to ask you, and I wanted to make sure that you were OK with,' Gellar told Armstrong in a recorded Zoom call shared to Instagram. 'How do you feel about helping me save the world? You want to be my chosen one?' Gellar shared the heartfelt footage on Instagram on Thursday, introducing Armstrong to her followers and fans of the original series. The Buffy alum, who most recently appeared on Dexter: Original Sin, will also be executive producing the reboot. 'From the moment I saw Ryan's audition, I knew there was only one girl I wanted by my side,' she wrote. 'To have that kind of emotional intelligence, and talent, at such a young age is truly a gift. The bonus is that her smile lights up even the darkest room. Welcome to #NewSunnydale.' Sunnydale, for those unfamiliar, is the name of the fictional California city in which the original series takes place. Armstrong, in an Instagram post of her own, shared her excitement in boarding the project and joining the 'Buffyverse.' 'I'm so beyond thankful and excited to share that I am going to be apart of the BTVS universe!!! I am so excited for this journey with you @sarahmgellar I am in awe of you,' she wrote on Thursday. News of Armstrong's casting comes days after Gellar and her Buffy the Vampire Slayer costar Alyson Hannigan reunited to discuss the importance of meningitis vaccinations for teenagers. While Hannigan has yet to confirm whether she'll be part of the show's reboot, fans believe she may be leaving hints of her involvement. The actress, who played Buffy's best friend, Willow Rosenberg, on the show, captioned a recent Instagram post 'Suiting up to talk all things Sunnydale.' 'I hope that it brings comfort,' Gellar told SiriusXM Hits 1's The Morning Mash Up about the reboot. 'Buffy is still hitting people who are watching it for the first time, and they're seeing themselves, and they're seeing their friends, and they're finding their chosen family. And I think more than ever right now, as we get more and more divided, we need that chosen family, so I hope to provide a new chosen family.' The untitled Buffy pilot was first revealed to be in the works in February. Academy Award winner Chloé Zhao is attached to direct the pilot, while Nora Zuckerman and Lilla Zuckerman are set to write, showrun and executive produce the series. Original Buffy executive producers Gail Berman, Fran Kuzui and Dolly Parton will also executive produce the reboot alongside Gellar. Buffy the Vampire Slayer ran for seven seasons, from 1997 to 2003, and spawned a spin-off series, Angel, which aired from 1999 to 2004. Gellar began playing the titular vampire slayer at just 19 years old. In 2001, she earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Drama for her starring role. Gellar told People in March that the reboot is moving along faster than she expected. 'We've set up our offices, which means things are progressing probably faster than I'd anticipated,' she said, adding that she thinks it's still going to take some time to bring it all together. 'To do it the way it needs to be done, everyone has to be patient with all of us, because this isn't something that [will just happen].'
