MGM+ has released the first chilling images from ‘The Institute’, a new psychological thriller series based on the 2019 novel by Stephen King. Developed for television by SEAL Team’s Benjamin Cavell and directed by Lost and FROM veteran Jack Bender, the series premieres this July and promises an unsettling blend of sci-fi mystery and human drama.
The story follows Luke Ellis, a gifted teenager played by Joe Freeman, who is kidnapped and wakes up in a sinister facility known only as The Institute. There, he discovers other children with extraordinary abilities, such as telekinesis and telepathy, all of whom were abducted under eerily similar circumstances. Among them are Kalisha (Simone Miller – Detention Adventure), Nick (Fionn Laird), and Wendy (Hannah Galway – Sex/Life).
The institution is run by the enigmatic Ms. Sigsby, portrayed by Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds, The West Wing), who oversees the experiments on these children with cold calculation. Joining her are Julian Richings (Supernatural, The Umbrella Academy) as Stackhouse and Robert Joy (CSI: NY) as Dr. Hendricks.
Meanwhile, in a small nearby town, Tim Jamieson, played by Ben Barnes (Shadow and Bone, The Punisher), is a former cop trying to rebuild his life. But Tim’s quiet new beginning is about to be disrupted as his fate becomes deeply intertwined with Luke’s.
The series is executive produced by Stephen King, Jack Bender, Benjamin Cavell, Gary Barber, Sam Sheridan, and Ed Redlich. Cavell also penned the teleplay, with Bender directing multiple episodes, bringing his signature suspenseful flair to the production.
The Institute joins a growing line of King adaptations for TV, several of which were produced by Bender, including Mr. Mercedes, The Outsider, Under the Dome, and The Stand, where he previously teamed up with Cavell. This one looks set to deliver a particularly haunting take on King’s darker themes of exploitation, power, and lost innocence.
‘The Institute’ premieres Saturday, 13th July 2025, on MGM+ in the UK and USA.
Photo credit: Chris Reardon. Images provided by MGM+.
