Disney+ Greenlights New British Thriller “Playdate”
Disney has greenlighted a new British thriller for Disney+ based on Alex Dahl’s parents-worst-nightmare novel “Playdate”, which tells the story of a seemingly ordinary decision that turns the world of Elisa, mum to two young kids, upside down. When Elisa’s nine-year-old daughter asks to go on an overnight playdate with her new best friend, Elisa agrees. But when she says goodnight to her daughter, she has no idea that she is about to be thrust into every parent’s worst nightmare, and when Elisa goes to pick her up, she discovers that the beautiful house was a holiday rental, while her daughter has disappeared. What follows is a manhunt across Europe, while Elisa and her husband Fred find themselves the object of police scrutiny. Elisa’s perfect family begins to unravel under the pressure, and long-buried secrets come to light. Rebecca took Lucia for a reason. And as viewers learn more about the tangled lives of these women we will wonder if Rebecca was justified in kidnapping the little girl – and whether she might be better off staying hidden.
The five-episode series will start filming in the United Kingdom and France over the summer. It will be directed by Eva Husson and written by Catherine Moulton, who will both be executive producers on the project. No cast details have been announced.
The new Disney+ Original series is being produced by Tanya Seghatchian, John Woodward and Nicola Shindler, who have previously worked on Netflix’s “The Power Of The Dog” and “It’s A Sin”. They will also be executive producers on the show, along with Alex Dahl. James Dean will also be producing the new original series.
Nicola Shindler said in a statement that Playdate “tells the story of fascinating, relatable and complex women in a situation that is any parent’s worst nightmare,” while Brightstar’s Seghatchian and Woodward described it as a “very rare beast – a thriller that combines beautifully crafted edge-of-the-seat suspense with unexpected plot twists and truly powerful drama.”
Johanna Devereaux, VP of Scripted Content for Disney+ EMEA, added in a statement:
“Playdate is a brilliantly twisty thriller with a terrifying, instantly relatable hook. We are very proud to be working with celebrated producers, a visionary director Eva Husson and rising star writer on this must-see thriller.”
Tanya Seghatchian and John Woodward, Brightstar, commented;
“Partnering with Quay Street and Disney+ we couldn’t be more delighted to move into production with director and executive producer, Eva Husson at the helm. Eva is a multiple Cannes Film Festival contender who is bringing her unique vision to the show and she is directing all episodes. Playdate is a very rare beast – a thriller that combines beautifully crafted edge-of-the-seat suspense with unexpected plot twists and truly powerful drama focused on these strong women who are intent on hiding their darkest secrets from the world.
“Playdate” joins the growing list of British originals being created for Disney+, which includes “Extraordinary”, “Wedding Season”, “Full Monty”, and many more.
Are you looking forward to watching “Playdate”? Let us know on social media!
Roger Palmer
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