A New Adaptation for Harlan Coben Fans
If you’re a Harlan Coben devotee, this news probably comes as a thrill. While ‘Stay Close' (titled ‘Sur tes traces' in French) has been a huge hit internationally, Coben has already begun work on another adaptation: ‘The Woods.' That title may ring a bell—Netflix released a Polish miniseries of the same name back in June 2020, but this version is set in the UK.
Production Status
As of the most recent reports, Netflix has not announced a release date for this new adaptation. According to Netflix’s Tudum, filming for the British version was underway in Manchester and throughout northwest England at the time of the last update.
Harlan Coben once again collaborated with screenwriter Danny Brocklehurst, who has worked on previous Coben adaptations such as ‘The Stranger' (French: ‘Double piège'), ‘The Woods,' and ‘Stay Close.'
The Story: Mystery in the Woods
The British ‘The Woods' is planned as an eight-episode miniseries, following Paul “Cope” Copeland. As a young camp counselor on the edge of the forest, Paul’s life is upended by the disappearance of his sister Camille. Two decades later, Paul is a successful lawyer and father to a daughter, Cami, when the discovery of a man's body—once thought to have died with Camille—throws his world into chaos.
Convinced Camille may still be alive, Paul becomes obsessed with finding the truth, plunging into a search that uncovers years of lies, cover-ups, and family secrets that threaten everything he’s built.
Cast
Tom Bateman headlines the miniseries as Paul Copeland. Bateman is known for roles in ‘Behind Her Eyes' and ‘Murder on the Orient Express.' Also joining the cast are Mandeep Dhillon (‘MobLand'), Pearce Quigley (‘Small Prophets'), and Michelle Keegan, who previously appeared in ‘Double piège.'
Rounding out the ensemble are Rade Sherbedgia (‘Downton Abbey'), James Buckley (‘Rock & Chips'), Shannon Watson, Pamela Nomvete (‘Andor'), Kerry Howard (‘Him and Her'), Roger Barclay (‘Industry'), Simon Lowe (‘This England'), Dean Fagan (‘Coronation Street'), Tom Allen, and Tracy-Ann Oberman.
While Netflix hasn't revealed when ‘The Woods' will premiere, this new British adaptation promises all the suspense, drama, and missing-person intrigue Coben fans expect. Stay tuned for updates on its release.
