The Institute (TV series)
American television series
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 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 the institute's dark secrets.
| The Institute | |
|---|---|
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| Genre | Horror |
| Based on | |
| Developed by | Benjamin Cavell |
| Starring | |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 8 |
| 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 series premiered on July 13, 2025, on MGM+, and consists of eight episodes. In August 2025, the series was renewed for a second season.[2]
Cast and characters
Main
- 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
- Jason Diaz as Tony
- Brendan Beiser as Norbert Hollister[3]
- Jordan Alexander as Kate[3]
- Mary Walsh as Annie[3]
- Viggo Hanvelt as Avery Dixon
- Dan Beirne as Drew
- Arlen So as George Iles
- Birva Pandya as Iris
- Jane Luk as Maureen
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Teleplay by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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" | Jeff Renfroe | Benjamin Cavell & Ed Redlich & Sam Sheridan | August 10, 2025 |
| 7 | "Hide" | Jack Bender | Sam Sheridan | August 17, 2025 |
| 8 | "Fight" | Jack Bender | Benjamin Cavell & Sam Sheridan | August 24, 2025 |
Production
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.[4][5] In 2024, a new production was set up with Bender still attached, but now with Benjamin Cavell writing and executive producing at MGM+ Studios.[6] The series is set to run for eight episodes.[7]
In June 2024, Ben Barnes and Mary-Louise Parker were cast as Tim Jamieson and Ms Sigsby.[6] Simone Miller and Jason Diaz joined the cast in the roles of Kalisha and Tony.[8] 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. It was also revealed that characters had been aged up from their respective novel characters.[7] In August 2025, MGM+ renewed the series for a second season.[9]
Filming took place in Halifax, Nova Scotia between August and November 2024.[10][11] First look images from filming were released in December 2024.[12]
Broadcast
Reception
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 64% approval rating based on 25 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 52 out of 100 based on 16 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[16]