MGM+ has announced that original series, The Institute, based on the acclaimed novel by celebrated author Stephen King, will debut exclusively on the streaming service on July 13th.
The news was revealed at the global premiere held at The Barbican as part of London’s SXSW Festival on June 5th, where attendees, including Advanced-Television, were treated to an exclusive screening and a special Q&A session. Cast members Mary-Louise Parker, Ben Barnes and Joe Freeman were joined by director and executive producer Jack Bender and showrunner Benjamin Cavell to mark the launch.
Bender, whose long list of prestigious credits also include Lost, From, The Sopranos and Game of Thrones, commented: “Whenever you get the galleys of a Stephen King book, it’s a real blessing. We didn’t want this to be relentlessly dark – we wanted levity, adventure and triumph. […] The scripts are amazing and we got really, really lucky with our cast. As with any show, it’s only as good as the scripts you have and the cast you have.”
Cavell added: “What really appealed to me is that this isn’t a story about a hero riding to the rescue. It’s about kids deciding, ‘If we want to get out of here, we get ourselves out.’”
Parker (who plays Miss Sigsby, the manager of The Institute), commented “I was drawn to this before I read a word of it because of Jack. He’s an incredible painter, writer, and friend.”
Barnes (who portrays night watchman and former police office Tim Jamieson), said: “I’d just come off a long stretch of untrustworthy, vain psychos — I was looking for a character with a moral compass.”
Freeman (who plays the main protagonist Luke Ellis in the series), stated: “I’m really proud of what we captured – especially the first scene with Luke and Siby. It’s raw, real, and you can feel what the characters go through.”
The Institute follows the story of teen genius Luke, who is kidnapped and awakens at The Institute, a facility full of children who all got there the same way he did and who are all possessed of unusual abilities. In a nearby town, haunted former police officer Tim has come looking to start a new life, but the peace and quiet won’t last, as his story and Luke’s are destined to collide.
The Institute will premiere exclusively on MGM+ in 32 territories on July 13th.