Stephen King is back in series mode—this time at MGM+. The premium network has set a July 13 premiere date for The Institute, an eight-episode thriller adapted from King’s 2019 novel and headlined by Mary-Louise Parker and Ben Barnes.
Developed by Benjamin Cavell and produced by MGM+ Studios, the series drops viewers into the sinister world of a black-ops facility where children with psychic abilities are held captive for reasons that quickly turn dark. At the center is Luke Ellis, a teen prodigy abducted from his home and plunged into a prison masquerading as a school.
The Institute runs two narrative tracks—one with Luke working out the mysterious rules of his new surroundings, and another following Tim Jamieson, a former cop seeking solitude in a quiet Southern town. Their paths inevitably collide.
The ensemble includes Joe Freeman and Simone Miller, rounding out a cast that leans heavily into King’s knack for eerie small-town Americana and morally compromised institutions.
Behind the scenes, King is executive producing alongside Cavell, Gary Barber, Sam Sheridan, Ed Redlich, and director Jack Bender—no stranger to King adaptations after his work on Mr. Mercedes and Under the Dome.
The premiere marks a key play for MGM+ as it continues leaning into genre-forward storytelling with marquee IP. For King fans, it’s another opportunity to see his work brought to screen with a high-end cast and seasoned creative bench.
