Disney+ Orders UK Thriller Series Based on Alex Dahl’s Novel “Playdate”

Disney+ has greenlit a UK thriller series based on Alex Dahl’s novel Playdate, according to Deadline.

What’s Happening:

  • In Playdate, a seemingly ordinary decision 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 husband Fred find themselves the object of police scrutiny.
  • The Power of the Dog and It’s a Sin producers Tanya Seghatchian, John Woodward and Nicola Shindler are combining to produce the five-parter, which comes from the decorated trio’s Brightstar and Quay Street Productions.
  • The adaptation is set to begin filming in the UK and France over the summer, with a cast yet to be announced.
  • Palme d’Or nominee Eva Husson is directing and Hijack’s Catherine Moulton is writing.

What They’re Saying:

  • Producer Nicolar Shindler said 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: “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.”
Sign up for Disney+ or the Disney Streaming Bundle (Disney+, ESPN+, and ad-supported Hulu) now
Luke Manning
Luke is a fan of all things theme parks and self-proclaimed #1 fan of Joffrey’s Coffee, who lives in Kissimmee, FL