The Institute (TV series)
| The Institute | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Genre | Horror |
| Based on | The Institute by Stephen King |
| Developed by | Benjamin Cavell |
| Starring |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 5 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Running time | 54–59 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | MGM+ |
| Release | July 13, 2025 – present |
The Institute is an American supernatural horror television series written by Benjamin Cavell and directed by Jack Bender, with both also serving as executive producers.[1] Based on the 2019 novel of the same name by Stephen King, the series stars Ben Barnes, Mary-Louise Parker and Joe Freeman in the main roles, and follows a young teenager who wakes up in a place where children possess special abilities, only to discover its institute's dark secrets.
The series premiered on July 13, 2025, on MGM+, and consists of eight episodes.
Cast and characters
[edit]Main
[edit]- Ben Barnes as Tim Jamieson
- Joe Freeman as Luke Ellis
- Simone Miller as Kalisha
- Fionn Laird as Nick
- Hannah Galway as Wendy Gullickson
- Julian Richings as Stackhouse
- Robert Joy as Dr. Daniel Hendricks
- Martin Roach as Chief Ashworth
- Mary-Louise Parker as Ms. Sigsby
Recurring
[edit]- Jason Diaz as Tony
- Brendan Beiser as Norbert Hollister[2]
- Jordan Alexander as Kate[2]
- Mary Walsh as Annie[2]
- Viggo Hanvelt as Avery Dixon
- Dan Beirne as Drew
- Arlen So as George Iles
- Birva Pandya as Iris
- Jane Luk as Maureen
Episodes
[edit]| No. | Title [3] | Directed by | Teleplay by [4] | Original release date [3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Boy" | Jack Bender | Benjamin Cavell | July 13, 2025 |
| 2 | "Shots for Dots" | Jack Bender | Ed Redlich | July 13, 2025 |
| 3 | "Graduation" | Brad Turner | Sam Sheridan | July 20, 2025 |
| 4 | "The Box" | Brad Turner | Sophie Owens-Bender | July 27, 2025 |
| 5 | "Back Half" | Jeff Renfroe | Eric Dickinson | August 3, 2025 |
| 6 | "Run" | TBA | Benjamin Cavell & Ed Redlich & Sam Sheridan | August 10, 2025 |
| 7 | "Hide" | TBA | Sam Sheridan | August 17, 2025 |
| 8 | "Fight" | TBA | Benjamin Cavell & Sam Sheridan | August 24, 2025 |
Production
[edit]When Stephen King's novel The Institute was released, David E. Kelley was linked with adapting it as a limited series in September 2019, with Jack Bender as director and Spyglass producing.[5][6] In 2024, a new production was set up with Bender still attached, but now with Benjamin Cavell writing and executive producing at MGM+ Studios.[7] The series is set to run for eight episodes.[8]
In June 2024, Ben Barnes and Mary-Louise Parker were cast as Tim Jamieson and Ms Sigsby.[7] Simone Miller and Jason Diaz joined the cast in the roles of Kalisha and Tony.[9] Another casting announcement in September 2024 revealed eleven cast members in Joe Freeman, Fionn Laird, Hannah Galway, Julian Richings, Robert Joy, Viggo Hanvelt, Arlen So, Birva Pandya, Dan Beirne, Martin Roach, and Jane Luk.[8]
Filming occurred in Halifax, Nova Scotia between August and November 2024.[10][11] First look images from filming were released in December 2024.[12]
Broadcast
[edit]The first episode was shown at SXSW on June 5, 2025. The series premiered on July 13, 2025, on MGM+.[13][14]
Reception
[edit]The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 71% approval rating based on 21 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "A slick and schematic adaptation of Stephen King's novel, The Institute won't keep everyone committed but still offers up enough intrigue to merit a tour."[15] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 51 out of 100 based on 15 critics, indicating "mixed or average".[16]
References
[edit]- ^ "Headliner: The Institute". www.sxswlondon.com. SXSW London. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
- ^ a b c Petski, Denise (16 October 2024). "'The Institute' Rounds Out Cast With Brendan Beiser As Series Regular; Mary Walsh & Jordan Alexander To Recur". Deadline. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Shows A-Z - institute, the on mgm plus". The Futon Critic. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ "The Institute". Writers Guild of America West. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
- ^ Thorne, Will (10 September 2019). "David E. Kelley, Jack Bender Developing Stephen King's 'The Institute' as Limited Series". Variety. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ Petski, Denise (10 September 2019). "David E. Kelley, Jack Bender Developing Stephen King's 'The Institute' As Limited Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (13 June 2024). "'The Institute': Ben Barnes & Mary-Louise Parker To Star In Series Ordered By MGM+ Based On Stephen King's Novel". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
- ^ a b Petski, Denise (23 September 2024). "The Institute: MGM+ Series Based On Stephen King Novel Adds 11 to Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation.
- ^ Norman, Dalton (29 August 2024). "Stephen King's The Institute: Confirmation, Cast, Story & Everything We Know". Screen Rant.
- ^ Burnham, Emily (18 August 2024). "Bangor's evil alter ego is the setting for this upcoming Stephen King TV show". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
- ^ "The Institute". 10 June 2024.
- ^ Gearan, Hannah (5 December 2024). "The Institute Image: Stephen King's Thriller Series Adaptation Gets First Look". Screen Rant. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ Shafer, Ellise (5 December 2024). "Stephen King Series 'The Institute' Gets First Look From MGM+ as Director Jack Bender Explains Casting Older Than the Book: 'We Didn't Want It to Be a Sadistic Experience'". Variety. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ Petski, Denise (5 June 2025). "Stephen King Series The Institute Gets Premiere Date At MGM+; First Look". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
- ^ "The Institute: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ "The Institute: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
