Netflix’s upcoming limited series The Watcher is based on a true story published in New York Magazine’s The Cut. It comes from Ryan Murphy’s Netflix output deal, and here’s the latest on everything we know about Netflix’s The Watcher, which is set to premiere in October 2022. We first revealed The Watcher in February 2021, with the news that Ryan Murphy is attached. There has been a lot of news about the seven-episode limited series since then. So let’s get started.
What is the plot of Netflix’s The Watcher?
The series is based on a story written by Reeves Wideman for The Cut in November 2018. The story is titled The Watcher, and the tagline reads, “A family bought their dream house. But, judging by the creepy letters they began to receive, they weren’t the only ones.”
Netflix purchased the rights to the story a month after it was published, with the original intention of making a film. The story’s basic premise is as follows:
“Based on the true-life case of the Broaddus family, who were spied on, threatened, and ultimately forced to sell their home and leave the town they loved by a mysterious stalker who identified themselves only as “The Watcher” in letters sent to Mr. and Mrs. Broaddus beginning in 2014.”
The official synopsis for the show on Netflix is as follows: “Ominous letters. Strange next-door neighbours. Dangerous threats A family moves into their dream suburban home, only to discover they’ve inherited a nightmare.”
According to the BBFC, the series is appropriate for people aged 15 and up. It’s worth noting that real-life names from the original story have been replaced with fictional names.
With Jennifer Coolidge playing Karen Calhoun, the estate agent in the series, Netflix started marketing the programme in September 2022. It gives us a sneak peek of what to anticipate through viral marketing with real-life ads, a Zillow listing for the house, and a house tour.
Complete cast list for The Watcher
The top three actors who will appear in The Watcher in June 2021 and November 2021 were announced by Deadline. Bobby Cannavale (known for The Station Agent and lending his voice to Netflix’s Big Mouth) is on board to play Dean, renamed from Derek in the source story. Naomi Watts (known for King Kong and Netflix’s Gypsy) will be playing Nora, renamed from Maria in the story.
In the series, Jennifer Coolidge—who most recently appeared in HBO’s The White Lotus—will play Karen, the glamorous and witty real estate agent who shows the family the home.
Noma Dumezweni (Mary Poppins Returns), who will play the private eye named Theodora, completes the main cast (renamed from Reggie). The neighbouring character, Pearl, will be played by Mia Farrow. Margo Martindale will play Maureen, another neighbour, after all. She and her husband reside behind the in question house.
Businessman Dakota, played by Henry Hunter Hall, established a security company. Mitch will be portrayed by Richard Kind, Ellie by Isabel Gravitt, Andrew by Seth Gabel, Detective Chamberland by Chris McDonald, Michael by Terry Kinney, and Richard by Michael Nouri.
When will Netflix release The Watcher?
Filming on the series began in late September 2021 and ended at the end of March 2022. The majority of the production was shot in New York. While we haven’t seen many filming shots, we do know that some of it took place in Brooklyn, specifically in McCarran Park.
We can exclusively reveal that Netflix is planning to release The Watcher in October 2022, which means it will be part of Netflix’s Halloween 2022 lineup. The show is set to premiere on October 13th, 2022, but this date is subject to change.
So far, Netflix has only confirmed a “Fall 2022” release date. In the fall of 2022, the series will be released as one of three Netflix Original Ryan Murphy projects. Mr. Harrigan’s Phone and DAHMER are the other two. A fourth Murphy project, American Horror Story season 11, is also set to premiere on FX.
