New Stephen King adaptation gets a first look as it makes a major change to be less "sadistic" than the book

News
By published

The Institute is coming to MGM Plus

Stephen King/The Institute cover
(Image credit: Getty Images/Hodder Staunton)

The first look at the new Stephen King thriller series The Institute has been released by MGM Plus. An image showing a teenager hooked up to a machine in a lab was shared as well as a full-length trailer airing behind closed doors at Content London.

Based on the 2019 book of the same name, it follows a young genius called Luke Ellis who is kidnapped after his parents are murdered and taken to an institute full of children with special gifts.

A panel also accompanied the first look, in which director and executive producer Jack Bender shared why they had made some changes to the books. In particular, the big shift is that the lead character is not 12 years old in this version but aged up a few years.

“We were very aware of not wanting this to be as awful as it can be, what these kids go through,” director Jack Bender said of the decision. “We didn’t want it to be a sadistic experience. There’s a fine line and, god knows, as storytellers we didn’t want to go there.”

King acts as an executive producer on the new show, which isn't the only upcoming King adaptation on the way. The Life of Chuck, Mike Flanagan's new movie starring Tom Hiddleston and Mark Hamill, has just secured a 2025 release date.

For more of what to watch, here's our guide to the best shows on Netflix and the best shows on Amazon Prime.

Fay Watson
Fay Watson
Deputy Entertainment Editor

I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I've also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.