The Midwich Cuckoos 2022: Sky release date, trailer, and cast of John Wyndham adaptation with Keeley Hawes

The Midwich Cuckoos, a new adaptation of John Wyndham’s famous sci-fi novel, is coming to Sky and NOW TV on Thursday 2 June.

The series, which stars Keeley Hawes and Max Beesley, is about a strange turn of events that sees everyone in a small village fall unconscious – and every woman wake up suddenly pregnant.

Here’s everything you need to know about The Midwich Cuckoos.

What is The Midwich Cuckoos about?

The official synopsis explains that Midwich is “a place where nothing much happens – that is until the twilight hours of a summer’s day when a sleepy corner of Midwich is plunged into panic.”

“People pass out on their feet without warning, without reason. When the mysterious blackout is lifted, life for those affected returns to apparent normality - except every woman of child-bearing age inside the zone has suddenly and inexplicably fallen pregnant.”

“A terrifying force is building in the comfortable streets of Midwich,” continues the synopsis. “These children – potential parasites - flourish under the very love and care that their families give them. Who are these children? And what do they want?”

Who stars in The Midwich Cuckoos?

Keeley Hawes plays Dr Susannah Zellaby, a psychotherapist flown in to help the affected of Midwich. Hawes is best known for appearing in Line of Duty and Ashes to Ashes, but you might also recognise her from appearances in Bodyguard, Doctor Who, It’s A Sin, and Spooks.

Max Beesley plays DCI Paul Kirby, a police officer charged with maintaining order in Midwich. You might recognise Beesley from a lead role in Sky’s historical drama Jamestown, or from appearing in the US drama Homeland.

Synnøve Karlsen plays Cassie Zellaby, Susannah’s daughter. Karlsen has previously starred in Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho, as well as the BBC Three thriller Clique.

The rest of the cast includes Ukweli Roach (Blindspot), Aisling Loftus (A Discovery of Witches), Lara Rossi (Robin Hood), Lewis Reeves (I May Destroy You), Cherrelle Skeete (Hanna), Rebekah Staton (Raised by Wolves) and Anneika Rose (Line of Duty).

Is there a trailer?

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

Who writes and directs The Midwich Cuckoos?

David Farr has adapted John Wyndham’s novel, serving as showrunner for this new series. Farr was behind the 2016 BBC adaptation of The Night Manager, as well as the Amazon Prime series Hanna.

The Midwhich Cuckoos was directed by Jennifer Perrott, Alice Troughton, and Börkur Sigþórsson. Perrott and Troughton have both directed episodes of Doctor Who – Perrott was behind the Whittaker-era episodes Kerblam and The Witchfinders, and Troughton worked on the Tennant-era episodes Midnight and The Doctor’s Daugher – while Sigþórsson has directed episodes of Baptiste and Trapped.

When and how can I watch The Midwich Cuckoos?

The Midwich Cuckoos will be available to watch on Sky Max on Thursday 2 June, with new episodes airing weekly. The finale will air on Thursday 14 July.

All eight episodes will be available to stream as a boxset on NOW TV from Friday 3 June.

How many episodes is The Midwich Cuckoos?

The Midwich Cuckoos will be a total of eight episodes, each around an hour long.

Is it based on a book?

Yes! The Midwich Cuckoos is based on John Wyndham’s novel of the same name, first published in 1957. Another famous novel by Wyndham you may be familiar with is The Day of the Triffids.

The Midwich Cuckoos has twice been adapted into a film: there’s the 1960 movie Village of the Damned, and the 1995 remake, again called The Village of the Damned.

Why should I watch The Midwich Cuckoos?

It’s a suitably creepy story, with evocative ideas and imagery at its heart that have stood the test of time for a reason.