First Images From the Duffer Bros.' THE BOROUGHS Tease a Monster-Filled Retirement Community
Netflix has unveiled the first images from its upcoming mystery series The Boroughs, and if you’ve been craving something that blends heart, horror, and a little old-school adventure, this one’s for you.
Executive produced by Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer, the creative minds behind Stranger Things, the new eight-episode series is set to premiere May 21.
At the center of the story is Sam Cooper, played by Alfred Molina, a grieving widower dealing with an existential spiral after losing his wife.
He moves into a retirement community that seems peaceful on the surface, but it doesn’t take long before something far stranger begins to creep in. What follows is a mystery involving dark secrets, supernatural threats, and a group of residents who refuse to be sidelined.
The cast is packed with heavy hitters including Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Denis O’Hare, Clarke Peters, and Bill Pullman, all playing members of this unlikely crew of retirees who find themselves staring down something monstrous.
The series was created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, who previously worked on The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. They’re clearly leaning into an ambitious tonal mix.
Addiss and Matthews said: “From the beginning, we knew we wanted The Boroughs to feel equal parts scary, mysterious, exciting and emotional.
“The challenge was to create a world that could hold all of these different tones at once. Which is why it was so fun to work with the Duffer Brothers – the masters of balancing heart and horror,”
They also added: “According to some very unofficial napkin math, our stars bring something like 350 years of craft to The Boroughs. We knew they would be great. We didn’t expect them to be so fun. They can make you laugh or cry with just a look. Makes it whole lot easier on us writers.”
That blend of warmth and weirdness is exactly what drew the Duffers in. They said: “For years, we’ve wondered why no one has made a film like Ron Howard’s wonderful Cocoon since, well, Cocoon. Then, out of nowhere, Jeff and Will emailed us an idea for The Boroughs: a story about retirees and monsters.
“They were adamant that — unlike so many stories about older characters — this wouldn’t treat aging as a punchline. Instead, it would treat its characters as real people facing real challenges… along with a few supernatural ones. It was exactly the show we’d been dreaming of.”
They continued: “While the characters are a little older than the kids in Stranger Things (they ride golf carts instead of bikes), the spirit is very much the same.
“At its core, this is a story about belonging and growing up — no matter your age — filled with adventure, wonder, comedy, scares, and tears. And most importantly, you’re going to fall in love with these characters.”
Multiple episodes are directed by Ben Taylor, who also serves as an executive producer, with Augustine Frizzell and Kyle Patrick Alvarez directing as well.
Between the powerhouse cast, the supernatural hook, and that unmistakable Duffer Brothers energy, The Boroughs sounds like an intriguing genre series worth checking out! A retirement community mystery with monsters and heart? That’s a combo I’m absolutely ready to see play out.
