No Escape: Paramount+ release date, trailer, and cast with Abigail Lawrie and Rhianne Barreto

No Escape, a new thriller from the writer of White House Farm, is coming to Paramount+ this May.

The series, which stars Tin Star’s Abigail Lawrie and The Outlaws’ Rhianne Barreto, follows two friends on the run who find danger rather than refuge when they hide on a yacht in Asia. It’s based on Lucy Clarke’s novel The Blue, which was first published in 2015. 

Here’s everything you need to know about No Escape before its release on Paramount+. 

What is No Escape about?

According to the official Paramount+ synopsis, No Escape follows “best friends Lana and Kitty, who are on the run from their lives in the UK. Together they find refuge on a romantic yacht, The Blue, crewed by a group of enigmatic people sailing through South East Asia. But The Blue harbours dark secrets, and the paradise the girls thought they had found turns into a nightmare.”

Who stars in No Escape?

Abigail Lawrie plays Lana, one of the two friends on the run. Lawrie is best known for her performance in the crime drama Tin Star, for which she won a Scottish BAFTA, but you might also recognise her from Neil Gaiman adaptation Good Omens or the true crime drama Murdered for Being Different. 

Rhianne Barreto plays Kitty, also on the run. Barreto is probably best known as one of the leads from BBC One comedy crime drama The Outlaws, but you might also recognise her from the ITV crime drama Honour, the Amazon thriller Hanna, or the movie Share.  

They’re joined by Jay Ryan (It: Chapter Two), Sean Keenan (The Power of the Dog), Colette Dalal Tchantcho (Domina), Elmo Anton Stratz (Westwall), Narayan David Hecter (Riviera), Susie Porter (Wentworth), Josh McConville (Fantasy Island), and Jake Macapagal (Metro Manila). 

Who writes and directs?

No Escape was written by Kris Mrksa, a screenwriter best known for the ITV drama White House Farm. Mrksa has also previously created the BBC thriller Requiem, as well as working as lead writer on the original version of family drama The Slap.

Hans Herbots, a director best known for true crime drama The Serpent and political thriller Cobra, acted as lead director on No Escape. Herbots has previously also directed episodes of Rellik, Riviera, and The Swell. 

Is there a trailer?

Yes, there is! You can watch it right here.

An earlier, first-look trailer was also released some weeks ago. You can watch it here.

When and how can I watch No Escape?

No Escape will be available on Paramount+ in full as a boxset from Thursday 18 May. You can sign up for Paramount+ here. 

How many episodes are there?

No Escape is a seven-part drama, with each episode running to around 50-55 minutes long. 

Where was No Escape filmed?

No Escape was filmed on location in and around Thailand in late 2022.

Is it based on a book?

Yes, it is! No Escape is based on Lucy Clarke’s 2015 book The Blue (which has since been republished under the title No Escape, to better tie into the Paramount+ series). You’ll know Lucy Clarke from her other thrillers like The Castaways, The Hike, and One of the Girls. 

Is No Escape worth watching?

In a recent episode of our Screen Babble podcast, we gave No Escape a mixed-to-positive review. We had a lot of praise for the two leads, particularly Rhianne Barreto, but noted that at times some of the supporting characters blended together a little and perhaps weren't as starkly defined as they needed to be for the series to work. It's worth checking out if you're already a Paramount+ subscriber, though, largely on the strength of the lead performances.

Why should I watch it? 

It’s one to check out if you enjoy this kind of international thriller, or if you’re a fan of any of the actors involved.