Wayward is a chilling new thriller coming to Netflix soon starring Toni Collette.
Created by Canadian star Mae Martin, the limited series is set in a beautiful town that has a dark side. Collette plays the headmistress at a school in Oregon called Tall Pines. But the creepy headmistress makes the unusual claim that the school for “troubled teens” can “solve the problem of adolescence”.
Mae says: “Tall Pines [the show’s original title before it was changed to Wayward] is a story I’ve been dying to tell for years, and I’m beyond excited for people to see what we have in store! It’s going to be an insane roller coaster and so different to anything I’ve done before. Very very grateful to Netflix for supporting it, and I can’t wait to get going.”
Heartstopper director Euros Lyn, who is a director and executive producer on the series, told Netflix: “Directing a stellar ensemble featuring Toni Collette, Sarah Gadon, and Mae Martin is a dream come true. I’m excited to bring this original blend of thriller, comedy, and horror to life, and to shed light on the troubled teen industry.”
Here’s everything we know…
Wayward release date
Wayward is expected to be released on Netflix in 2025, however, an official release date is still to be announced. Mae posted at the end of 2024 that filming had wrapped after a long shoot. “Thank you from the bottom of my tired heart to this incredible cast and crew, who have been working SO HARD for 4 months (some much longer) to bring this creepy bizarre show to life.”
Wayward plot
Netflix teases: “Wayward is a thriller set in a bucolic but sinister town that explores the insidious underbelly of the ‘troubled teen industry’ and the eternal struggle between one generation and the next.”
In more detail, Abby and Leila (Sydney Topliffe and Alyvia Alyn Lind) are a pair of 16-year-olds who enjoy smoking pot. Their frustrated parents send them to Tall Pines, a school for naughty kids that’s unfortunately for them run by a murderous cult!
Also heading to Tall Pines is Detective Alex Dempsey (Mae Martin), who goes there with their wife Laura (Sarah Gadon), who wants to raise their child in the place where she grew up.
However, Dempsey starts to have suspicions about Laura’s connections to the cult and ends up teaming up with the teenagers to try to bring down Tall Pines before it kills them all.
Wayward cast
Sydney Topliffe and Alyvia Alyn Lind play teeangers Abby and Leila, with Mae Martin as Dempsey and Sarah Gadon as Laura. Toni Collette plays the headmistress of Tall Pines. Also in the cast is Patrick J. Adams, Joshua Close and Patrick Gallagher.
Is there a trailer?
Yes, Netflix has released a short teaser clip for the series, which shows how creepy Tall Pines is!
