WBD Acquires Stephen King’s ‘The Institute’ for Max in Europe

Warner Bros. Discovery has acquired “The Institute,” the anticipated thriller series based on the 2019 Stephen King novel, for its streaming platform HBO Max in Europe.

The MGM+ Original scripted drama series will be premiering in Portugal and the Nordics on July 14, and in France and Belgium on July 17.

The eight-part series is executive produced Stephen King and directed and exec produced by Jack Bender. Story follows the story of teen genius Luke Ellis (Joe Freeman), who is kidnapped and awakens at The Institute, a facility full of children who all possess unusual abilities. In a nearby town, haunted former police officer Tim Jamieson (Ben Barnes) has come looking to start a new life, but the peace and quiet won’t last.

The series also stars Mary-Louise Parker, Simone Miller, Fionn Laird, Hannah Galway, Julian Richings, Robert Joy and Martin Roach.

“’The Institute’ is a perfect example of how we’re strengthening Max with content that complements our standout lineup across HBO, Max, Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Studios, and Local Originals,” said Ragnhild Thorbech, SVP of programming and acquisitions at Max.

Executive producers on the project are writer Benjamin Cavell (“Justified,” “The Stand”), Gary Barber, Sam Sheridan, and Ed Redlich.

Earlier this month, Warner Bros. Discovery, announced its plan to divide the company into two publicly-traded entities, one devoted to streaming and content production and one devoted to traditional television.