Lord of the Flies will premiere on Netflix on May 4, with all four episodes of the limited series made available to members in the United States on the same day.
Netflix confirmed the release alongside key production details, marking the first television adaptation of William Golding’s novel. The project is created and written by Jack Thorne, with Marc Munden directing the series.
The adaptation brings Golding’s story of survival and social breakdown to a new format, following a group of schoolboys stranded on a deserted island.
A first television adaptation of a literary classic
The Lord of the Flies series is based on William Golding’s landmark novel, widely recognized for its exploration of human behavior under pressure.
The official logline describes a group of English schoolboys who become castaways on a desert island. As time passes, the absence of structure leads to a shift in group dynamics, with innocence giving way to increasingly destructive behavior.
This marks the first time the novel has been adapted as a television series.
Creative team led by Jack Thorne
The series is created and written by Jack Thorne, whose previous credits include Adolescence and Enola Holmes. Thorne also serves as an executive producer through One Shoe Films.
Marc Munden directs the series and is also credited as an executive producer. His past work includes The Mark of Cain and National Treasure.
Additional executive producers include Joel Wilson and Jamie Campbell for Eleven.
The project is produced by Eleven and One Shoe Films, with Sony Pictures Television backing the production.
Cast and characters
The Lord of the Flies adaptation features a cast led by Winston Sawyers as Ralph and Lox Pratt as Jack.
David McKenna plays Piggy, while Ike Talbut takes on the role of Simon. Supporting roles include Thomas Connor, who appears as Roger, Noah, and Cassius Flemyng as twins Sam and Eric.
Cornelius Brandreth portrays Maurice, and Tom Page-Turner plays Bill. The series also features an ensemble of more than 30 young actors portraying the group of boys stranded on the island.
Music and production elements
The score for Lord of the Flies is composed by Hans Zimmer, alongside Kara Talve of Bleeding Fingers Music and Cristobal Tapia de Veer.
The production is supported by Sony Pictures Television, working with Eleven and One Shoe Films.
Episode structure and format
The limited series consists of four episodes, each with a runtime of approximately one hour.
All episodes will be released together on May 4, allowing viewers to watch the complete adaptation in a single drop.
Key Details
- Release date: May 4 (United States on Netflix)
- Format: Limited series
- Episodes: 4 episodes, approximately 1 hour each
- Source material: Lord of the Flies by William Golding
- Creator and writer: Jack Thorne
- Director: Marc Munden
- Executive producers: Joel Wilson, Jamie Campbell, Jack Thorne, Marc Munden
- Cast: Winston Sawyers (Ralph), Lox Pratt (Jack), David McKenna (Piggy), Ike Talbut (Simon), Thomas Connor (Roger), Noah, Cassius Flemyng (Sam and Eric), Cornelius Brandreth (Maurice), Tom Page-Turner (Bill)
- Music: Hans Zimmer, Kara Talve, Cristobal Tapia de Veer
- Production companies: Eleven, One Shoe Films
- Studio: Sony Pictures Television