Fans will recognise a Stranger Things star in the cast(Image: Netflix)
Those disappointed at the sci-fi mystery’s cancellation should have a new show to binge soon.
The first details for Netflix’s upcoming ‘chilling’ monster thriller have been revealed. It’s good news for fans as it looks like it could be the ideal replacement for the shelved series The Boroughs.
Despite the eight-part series managing to register 96% rating on website Rotten Tomatoes, and placing in the top 10 most watched chart for weeks, the streamer pulled the plug after just one season. It means fans will never know the answers to its mysterious cliffhanger ending.
It was backed by the creators of Stranger Things but that didn’t seem to help convince Netflix of its future. Neither did its stellar cast and millions of viewers.
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However, as new information emerges for a new title releasing later this year, it looks like it could be a ready made replacement. All episodes of Below are set to land on October 8, 2026.
It comes from writer of Umbrella Academy(Image: Netflix)
The show is described as a ‘chilling thriller’ and features some spooky monsters, much like the mystery at the centre of The Boroughs. It comes from Canadian screenwriter Jesse McKeown who also penned episodes of The Umbrella Academy and The Sinner and he also serves as showrunner.
According to its synopsis, Below will focus on Calvin Penney, a big‑hearted but stubborn fisherman living in a small Newfoundland town, who’s still haunted by his father’s mysterious death from decades ago. When an unidentified sea creature begins terrorising his hometown, Calvin must fight to hold his close-knit community together.
Determined to keep his son Wade and the rest of his family safe, he teams up with a visiting marine researcher to confront the creature and reveal the island’s buried secrets before it’s too late. Blending local myth, thrilling suspense, and heartfelt humour, this twisty six-part series dives into themes of family, community, and change – both terrifying and inevitable.
The cast will also feature some very familiar faces, especially to Netflix fans. Trap and Penny Dreadful star Josh Hartnett leads the cast as Calvin.
He will be joined by Stranger Things actor Charlie Heaton as well as Bridgerton’s Ruby Stokes. Hartnett has already spoken out about his excitement for the show and what viewers can expect.
It looks set for a must watch ahead of Halloween(Image: Netflix)
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, he said: “It tapped directly into a feeling I’ve been having, that I’m sure is not unique, that the powers that determine our lives are so far removed from us as people that it’s hard to even imagine being able to affect meaningful change for ourselves and the people we love.
“Our story, the ambiguous and terrifying powers become clear and our band of heroes are able to come together to fight them. In that, there is a very satisfying level of wish fulfilment.”
Show creator McKeown has explained he was inspired by genre movies from the likes of Steven Spielberg and John Carpenter. However, it seems the series could also be seen as a mix between Stranger Things and recent Apple TV hit Widow’s Bay.
McKeown said: “I always knew I wanted to make something here in Newfoundland. Preferably something big. And something strange. Something that taps into the terrifying ruggedness and isolation of the place. But also something that captures the overwhelming warmth and the eccentric brilliance of the people here.”
Below is streaming on Netflix from October 8.
