Latest news with #MGMPlus
Daily Mail
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Why creepy new Stephen King series The Institute is already wowing fans
A creepy new series based on Stephen King's 2019 novel The Institute is set to scare viewers when it hits MGM+ next month. The eight-part limited series follows the terrifying story of Luke Ellis, a 12-year-old prodigy whose life is shattered overnight when he's kidnapped and wakes up inside a shadowy facility known only as The Institute. Inside, he meets other children with psychic abilities who are being subjected to disturbing and painful experiments under the watchful eye of the calculating Ms. Sigsby, played by Emmy-winner Mary-Louise Parker. While the children initially believe that they're there to be taught and cared for, they soon discover that the staff at The Institute are trying to weaponize their powers for evil. The series is helmed by executive producer Jack Bender, who is best known for his work on Lost, From and Child's Play 3. English actor Ben Barnes, best known for The Chronicles of Narnia and The Punisher, also has a major role. The official trailer was released this week and fans on social media weren't shy about sharing their opinions. 'The Institute is my fav S.K. book, I like the look of this trailer, it's promising, let's see,' commented one. 'So, it's Stranger Things. It's essentially the same facility where they kept Elle. Interesting,' added another. 'From what I'm seeing it's almost the same as the book. Can't wait. And now I want to reread the book,' wrote a third. 'Stephen King once again reminding us about the dangers of psychically empowered children,' joked another. Some fans also compared The Institute to The Gift and X Men: New Mutants. King's fans were furious earlier this year when Netflix announced it would be making a reboot of his novel Cujo. Amazon Prime also revealed that they're turning his iconic novel Carrie into a series. 'No creativity anymore.. everything's a remake..' complained one fan on Variety's Facebook page. 'Lol, stop this nonsense. The 1976 film is a classic,' exclaimed one die hard fan. Sissy Spacek, 75, earned her first Oscar nomination for the 1976 film in which she played an abused and bullied teenager with telekinetic powers. A made-for-TV movie starring Angela Bettis as Carrie in 2003 was panned by critics as was remake starring Chloë Grace Moretz in 2013. Summer H. Howell, 20, a fright flick veteran, is reportedly in talks to take on the title role, according to Deadline. One glimmer of hope regarding the outcome of the new series lies with horror veteran Mike Flanagan, who will write the script and direct the episodes. Flanagan received high praise for his 2019 adaptation of King's Doctor Sleep.
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.
Geek Girl Authority
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
Stephen King's THE INSTITUTE Gets Official Trailer
One of the upcoming series based on a Stephen King novel, The Institute , has received a trailer. With some impressive special effects and a glimpse at many of the show's characters, The Institute trailer is sure to whet your whistle for the upcoming MGM+ series. Here's what we know about the series, and you can scroll down to the bottom of the article to check out the trailer for yourself. The Institute Trailer Featuring a storyline that is as unfortunately relevant today as it was when King's novel was published in 2019, The Institute follows a child kidnapped by a shadowy government agency. Luke Ellis (Joe Freeman) is an average American teenager with some telekinetic powers. But soon he's been whisked away to the titular institute. RELATED: Stephen King's The Institute Gets a Release Date and First Look Photos There, Luke meets other children in possession of preternatural abilities. But they're all confined and subjected to tests by Mrs. Sigsby (Mary-Louise Parker) and her crew of questionable associates. Meanwhile, ex-cop Tim Jamieson (Ben Barnes) has recently relocated in order to escape his past. But it turns out one of his new neighbors is the very same malignant institute. The cast also features Hannah Galway (Wendy), Fionn Laird (Nick), Simone Miller (Kalisha), Martin Roach (Chief Ashworth), Julian Richings (Stackhouse) and Robert Joy (Dr. Hendricks). The eight-episode series is from writer/executive producer Benjamin Cavell ( The Stand ) and director/executive producer Jack Bender. Previously, Bender worked on LOST , so maybe it isn't a coincidence that I'm getting Dharma Initiative vibes from the trailer. RELATED: GGA's Otherworldly Summer Reading List Finally, Constant Readers will be pleased to see that a number 19 can be spotted in the trailer. However, I'm leaving it up to you to find it for yourself. The first two episodes of The Institute will be available for streaming on July 13, 2025. Will you be checking it out when it arrives? Prime Video's CARRIE Series Gets Flanaverse Vets Rahul Kohli, Kate Siegel and More Avery Kaplan is the author of several books and the Features Editor at Comics Beat. She was honored to serve as a judge for the 2021 Cartoonist Studio Prize Award and the 2021 Prism Awards. She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her partner and a pile of cats, and her favorite place to visit is the cemetery. You can also find her writing on Comics Bookcase, NeoText, Shelfdust, the Mary Sue, in many issues of PanelxPanel, and in the margins of the books in her personal library.
Geek Girl Authority
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
the institute Archives
Categories Select Category Games GGA Columns Movies Stuff We Like The Daily Bugle TV & Streaming The Institute, a new Stephen King adaptation series coming to MGM+, announced its release date and first-look images.
Geek Girl Authority
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
joe freeman Archives
Categories Select Category Games GGA Columns Movies Stuff We Like The Daily Bugle TV & Streaming The Institute, a new Stephen King adaptation series coming to MGM+, announced its release date and first-look images.
