Netflix’s adaptation of Harlan Coben’s ‘The Stranger’ starring Richard Armitage, Jennifer Saunders, Hannah John-Kamen, Siobhan Finneran, and Kadiff Kirwan will premiere in January 2020 the streaming service has announced.
The series, which comes from award-winning author Harlan Coben (‘Safe’, ‘The Five’), is a mystery thriller set in suburbia, where one stranger enters the lives of many, unfolding a web of life long secrets and lies. Adam Price seems to have a charmed existence. Two wonderful sons, a career in law, and most of all, a watertight marriage to his soulmate, Corinne, a teacher at the local school.
Adam is living the dream. Until one night a stranger sits down next to him in a bar. “She lied, Adam. Corinne made it up, she was never pregnant… One more thing. If I were you, I’d run DNA checks on your two boys…” As quickly as the stranger came, she is gone. Adam tries going after her, but it’s too late. As the stranger’s words eat away at Adam, he begins to investigate his wife. To his horror, his greatest fears are realised. When Adam confronts Corinne with evidence that she faked a pregnancy, she flees, leaving only a text message:
MAYBE WE NEED SOME TIME APART. YOU TAKE CARE OF THE KIDS.
DON’T TRY TO CONTACT ME. IT WILL BE OKAY.
JUST GIVE ME A FEW DAYS… PLEASE.
Joining Armitage in the series are Siobhan Finneran (‘Happy Valley’, ‘Downton Abbey’) takes a leading role as DS Johanna Griffin, who finds her pragmatic approach to police work compromised when her investigation into the matter becomes deeply personal; Dervla Kirwan (‘Strike Back’, ‘Silent Witness’) plays Corrine Price, a well-respected teacher, a loving wife to Adam and mother to their two sons. Hannah John-Kamen (‘Ant-Man and The Wasp’, ‘Ready Player One’) stars as the titular mysterious stranger who exposes people’s secrets, dropping bombshells that will shatter lives; Jennifer Saunders (‘Absolutely Fabulous’) in her first major dramatic role, plays Heidi, Johanna’s closest friend. She is an outgoing character who is seeking adventure after her daughter leaves for university; Anthony Head (‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’, ‘Merlin’) portrays as Edgar Price, a successful CEO of a large property development company trying to gentrify a rundown area. Edgar’s world is also rocked when a dark secret from the past is revealed; And Stephen Rea (‘War and Peace’, ‘The Crying Game’) takes on the role of Martin Rinksy, a retired police detective who still has connections in the field. As Adam turns to him for help, the former policeman is soon forced to confront events from the past.
Also starring in the Netflix thriller are Shaun Dooley (‘Ordinary Lies’, ‘Broadchurch’) who takes the role of Doug Tripp, a dedicated family man who detects problems within Adam Price’s household – but does he know more than he’s letting on?; Paul Kaye (‘Game of Thrones’) as John Katz, a man pushed to extremes for the sake of his family; And Kadiff Kirwan (‘Chewing Gum’, ‘Black Mirror’) as Wesley Ross, a young detective constable working alongside DS Griffin, but when Johanna asks Wes to keep an explosive secret, his loyalty is tested.
The Stranger is the third collaboration for RED Production Company (a STUDIOCANAL company) and Harlan Coben following the success of ‘The Five’ and 2018 hit ‘Safe’. Nicola Shindler, writers Harlan Coben and Danny Brocklehurst, and Richard Fee are the Executive Producers of the new eight-part series.
‘The Stranger’ premieres Thursday, 30th January 2020 on Netflix UK and worldwide.
