Picture: Netflix
Fool Me Once will be the next major adaptation coming from Netflix’s partnership with the prolific author Harlan Coben and is headlined by British star Michelle Keegan. Here’s everything you need to know about Fool Me Once, which has now wrapped filming and scheduled to be one of the first arrivals of 2024.
The eight-part thriller (with each episode being around 60 minutes long) will adapt the 2016 novel. Unlike in the book, however, this adaptation will occur in the United Kingdom instead of the United States.
Here’s everything you need to know about the new series:
When is Fool Me Once releasing on Netflix?
Let’s begin with the release date. In November 2023, Netflix UK announced that Fool Me Once would be arriving globally on Netflix on January 1, 2024. That means you’ll be able to bring in the New Year with a Harlen Coben thriller. Perfection.
Poster and release date for Fool Me Once on Netflix
Who’s behind Fool Me Once on Netflix?
As you may know, Netflix has been adapting Harlan Coben’s works via a creative partnership since 2018 with titles including The Stranger, Stay Close, and Safe.
Other confirmed upcoming Coben projects for Netflix include Myron Bolitar, Six Years, and Run Away.
Harlan Coben said in the announcement of Fool Me Once:
“I’m thrilled and honoured to once again be collaborating with my uber-talented partners Danny, Nicola and Richard. ‘Fool Me Once’ will be our fourth Netflix series [following ‘Safe,’ ‘The Stranger’ and ‘Stay Close’] together, and man, it never gets old! ‘Fool Me Once’ is a pulse-pounder — a shocking story of how secrets and deceit have the power to bring people together while simultaneously tearing them apart. I can’t wait to see how this dream cast brings these characters to life.”
Also working on the project includes Danny Brocklehurst (Brassic, Come Home) as the lead writer, assisted by Charlotte Coben, Yemi Oyefuwa, Nina Metivier, and Tom Farrelly.
Directing on the series will be done by David Moore (Outlander) and Nimer Rashed.
Nicola Shindler and Jessica Taylor serve as producers, with Quay Street Productions serving as the production company.
What’s Netflix’s Fool Me Once about?
Book cover for Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben
Per Netflix, here’s what you can expect from the new series:
The series follows Maya Stern who is trying to come to terms with the brutal murder of her husband, Joe. But when Maya installs a nanny-cam to keep an eye on her young daughter, she is shocked to see a man she recognises in her house. Her husband, who she thought was dead…
Detective Sergeant Sami Kierce leads the homicide investigation into Joe’s death while grappling with secrets of his own. Meanwhile, Maya’s niece and nephew, Abby and Daniel, are trying to find the truth about their mother’s murder, several months earlier. Are the two cases connected? Fool Me Once follows these characters on a thrilling hunt for the truth that will reveal shocking secrets and change their lives forever. Joanna Lumley is Judith Burkett, Joe’s protective mother.”
First Look Images of Fool Me Once
Netflix recently dropped some exciting first-look images for the series.
Richard Armitage as Joe Burkett – Netflix
Michelle Keegan as Maya Stern – Netflix
Adeel Akhtar as Detective Sergeant Sami Kierce
Joanna Lumley as Judith Burkett – Netflix
Who’s starring in Fool Me Once on Netflix?
Pictures courtesy of Netflix
Michelle Keegan, Adeel Akhtar, Richard Armitage, and Joanna Lumley lead the cast for Netflix’s new limited thriller series.
The Sun first reported on February 18th that Keegan signed a “six-figure deal” to star in the new series.
Here’s the entire preliminary cast for Fool Me Once:
- Michelle Keegan (Brassic, Our Girl) will play Maya Stern
- Adeel Akhtar (Sweet Tooth, Ali & Ava) will play Detective Sergeant Sami Kierce
- Richard Armitage (Stay Close, The Stranger) will play Joe Burkett
- Joanna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous, Finding Alice) will play Judith Burkett
- Emmett J.Scanlan (Kin, Peaky Blinders) will play Shane Tessier
- Dino Fetscher (Years and Years, Foundation) will play Marty McGreggor
What’s on Netflix has also confirmed the following actors will also appear throughout:
- Marcus Garvey (Hijack, Disclaimer) will play Eddie Walker
- Natalie Anderson (Boiling Point, Happy Valley) will play Claire Walker
- Natalia Kostrzewa (Calling Home) as Izabella Godek
- Adelle Leonce (Mammals, A Discovery of Witches) as Eva
- James Northcote (The Last Kingdom)
When and where did filming take place for Fool Me Once?
Filming on the project took roughly six months in total, with the majority of filming in the United Kingdom, specifically in Manchester. Filming was officially underway in February 2023.
The production also had a small stint of filming take place in the Southern Spanish region of Andalucía.
Michelle Keegan confirmed that filming had wrapped on the project on July 30th in a heartfelt post on Instagram:
“That’s a wrap on Fool Me Once, and a final goodbye to Maya.
Thank you to all the cast, crew & production team who made the past 6 months extra special… this was a once in a lifetime job for me and I never took it for granted, not once.
What a ride it’s been.
Cant WAIT for you all to see it.”
Picture: Michelle Keegan / Instagram
Directing on the new series are David Moore and Nimer Rashed.
Will there be a season 2 of Fool Me Once?
No. Like all of the other Harlen Coben adaptations on Netflix – this will be a limited series.
Are you looking forward to this new Harlan Coben adaptation coming soon to Netflix? Let us know in the comments down below.
Please note: This article was first published on February 20th, 2023. It was updated in April 2023 and now again in July 2023.