First trailer for new Stephen King sci-fi drama The Institute feels like X-Men: New Mutants meets Stranger Things – and some fans believe it has an eerie connection to another King story

The first trailer for The Institute has arrived – and no, those kids won't enjoy their stay.

In the brief trailer, which can be viewed below, Luke (Joe Freeman) is kidnapped in the middle of the night and wakes up in a mysterious building known as The Institute. The head woman in charge, Ms. Sigsby (Mary-Louise Parker), assures Luke that he's there to do important, life-changing work and that they "aren't monsters."

He's one of several kidnapped kids, who have telepathic and telekinetic powers, and are put through a series of torturous "tests." Elsewhere, Tim (Ben Barnes) is a new-to-town police officer whose encounter with a local homeless woman causes him to do his own investigation into The Institute. It's definitely reminiscent of the institution where Eleven and a young Vecna are held and experimented on, and it's definitely giving shades of X-Men.

The cast includes Simone Miller, Jason Diaz, Brendan Beiser, Fionn Laird, Birva Pandya, Jordan Alexander, Viggo Hanvelt, Mary Walsh, Robert Joy, Julian Richings, Jane Luk, and Dan Beirne.

The Institute (MGM+ 2025 Series) Official Trailer - YouTube

Watch On

The eight-episode TV series is based on the Stephen King book of the same name, which hit shelves in 2019. While all of King's stories generally take place in the same universe, some fans have theorized that The Institute is specifically connected to Firestarter, a novel about a young girl with pyrokinetic powers who is pursued by a mysterious government force (the Department of Scientific Intelligence or DSI).

There are definitely parallels: the kidnapping results in both Charlie's mother and Luke's parents being killed. However, some believe the people behind The Institute are part of the DSI, and others believe the story simply serves as a prequel to Firestarter.

The Institute is set to hit MGM Plus on July 13. For more, check out our list of the best new TV shows coming your way in 2025 and beyond, or, check out our ranking of the best Stephen King adaptations to add to your streaming queue right now.