Welcome to The Institute, where imprisoned children are undergoing terrifying experiments — but one plucky teen is determined to fight back!
The Institute is a chilling eight-part adaptation of Stephen King’s 2019 acclaimed sci-fi horror novel, and with its supernatural themes, sinister secrets and a brave band of kids fighting dark forces, it's the perfect watch ahead of Stranger Things season five.
Joe Freeman (the son of actors Martin Freeman and Amanda Abbington) stars as 14-year-old Luke Ellis, who finds himself trapped within the mysterious facility. Weeds' lead Mary-Louise Parker plays the director of the sinister facility, and Shadow and Bone’s Ben Barnes is ex-cop Tim Jamieson.
Here’s everything you need to know about The Institute, including an exclusive chat with its stars...
The Institute release date
The Institute will be available in the UK on MGM Plus from Sunday, July 13, and in the US on the same day at 9 pm ET/PT.
The series begins with a double-bill, and episodes are then released weekly thereafter.
MGM Plus can be purchased as a subscription on Prime Video for £5.99 per month.
The Institute plot
At the centre is Luke Ellis (Joe Freeman in his first major TV role), a 14-year-old genius with the gift of telekinesis, who is abducted from his bedroom in Minneapolis and taken to The Institute, a secret compound for children with unusual abilities, including telepathy.
But Luke soon discovers the kids are being subjected to cruel tests overseen by the cold and calculated Ms. Sigsby (Mary-Louise Parker), who claims their suffering is for a higher purpose. Can Luke free his new friends from torture before they’re pushed into the dreaded ‘Back Half’ of The Institute?
Executive-produced by Stephen King, the series also follows haunted former police officer Tim Jamieson (Ben Barnes), who starts a new life in a nearby town. His job is to keep the peace, until whispers of missing children pull him into a dangerous mystery...
The Institute’s cast — Joe Freeman on playing telekinetic teen prodigy Luke Ellis
“For me, there’s no better writer than Stephen King, so just to get an audition was so exciting!" Joe tells What to Watch in an exclusive chat. “This show is the perfect balance of fun with that classic Stephen King disturbing psychological thriller element, but not in a jumpy way, it’s just very uncomfortable.
“I play Luke Ellis and he’s certainly smarter than your average Joe. He wants to do what’s best for himself, but he also can’t help but care about everyone else in his life and never wants to leave anyone behind. That helps when he arrives at The Institute because he’s able to band the other kids together. You root for them in there.
“One of the most challenging aspects of filming, though, was Luke’s telekinesis. As soon as the cameras were rolling, that’s when I found it difficult because who knows how to behave with telekinesis? That’s not something I have experience in!”
Mary-Louise Parker on playing The Institute’s director Ms. Sigsby
“I didn’t know this book beforehand, but I had filmed a Stephen King series called Mr. Mercedes [2017-19] and loved the idea of working with director Jack Bender again,” says Mary-Louise. “Jack also posed this question that I thought was kind of amazing: 'How far would you go to prevent the apocalypse?’
“That’s how my character justifies the horrendous things she does, but she’s fuelled by loneliness and paranoia, and she has an inner sense of decay. She’s clinging to whatever humanity she has left, but she's so hyper-aware of the logistics of her job. You think there’d be a lot of guilt, but I don’t think she goes there very often.
“I’m not a horror fan at all, though. I’m already afraid, so I don’t want to make it worse! I remember one day on set, I needed somewhere to sit during a break, so they took me into a dark room filled with beds with IVs hanging down. The room just felt jaundiced and diseased. I was like, ‘I'll stand in the hall!’”
Ben Barnes on playing haunted ex-cop Tim Jamieson
“Making a contribution to the Stephen King filmic canon is an exciting bucket list thing for me,” smiles Ben. “I’ve been assured that he loves the series, too, so I feel proud of that. I think as soon as he saw how brilliant Joe was and what direction the show was taking, he wanted to be an executive producer.
“He writes in so many genres, but they all have a connective tissue of hope, humanity and fighting against unchecked authoritarian systems. The Institute has all that, plus a gripping, simmering tension, with a message of how important it is to stand up for what is right.
“My character, Tim, is an ex-cop who has been through some traumatic experiences and is carrying a lot of shame. He’s trying to find some peace and solitude, but ends up in a small town near this mysterious and terrifying institute. No one quite knows what it is or does, but Tim finds a trail and he has a fierce trigger when he smells injustice.”
Is there a trailer for The Institute?
Yes, you can watch it here… Turn the lights down for full creepiness!
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