Kate Winslet Will Go on the Run in Netflix Vengeance Drama THE UNHEARD From ADOLESCENCE Writer Jack Thorne
Kate Winslet and Maxine Peake are about to become sisters with some serious trouble on their hands. The two actors will lead Netflix’s upcoming limited series The Unheard, a five-episode vengeance drama that sends its central characters on the run after revenge takes a very bad turn.
The series comes from Jack Thorne, the writer behind Netflix’s acclaimed Adolescence, and has been described as a Thelma & Louise-style story. That comparison gives us a pretty good idea of the territory the show plans to explore: two women, a desperate escape, and a decision with consequences that keep getting worse.
Winslet and Peake, whose recent credits include Say Nothing, will play sisters who find themselves fleeing after “an act of vengeance goes wrong.”
Netflix’s official logline adds: “As they are desperately pursued, we ask the question: What pushed them to this reckless act, and was it ever their intention to get away with it?”
That’s a strong hook, especially with Winslet and Peake at the center of it. The mystery surrounding why the sisters committed the act appears to be just as important as the chase itself, with the five-episode format giving Thorne a tight window to unpack what brought them to this point.
The Unheard is scheduled to begin shooting next year. Winslet will also serve as an executive producer alongside Thorne.
Netflix head of U.K. content Anne Mensah announced the series during a panel at the Edinburgh TV Festival as part of the streamer’s latest group of U.K. commissions.
The projects also include a Top Boy spin-off featuring Barry Keoghan and a new Roald Dahl series inspired by the author’s short stories, starring Dominic West, Imelda Staunton, and Nicola Coughlan.
Speaking about Netflix’s approach to its U.K. programming, Mensah said: “In the amazingly competitive U.K. landscape, it’s not good enough to be just ok. You need to swing for exceptional.
“Across drama, comedy, entertainment, live and factual programming, our slate underscores the risks we are happy to take and the extraordinary UK creativity we are proud to champion. Bring on 2027, we can’t wait”.
The Unheard is produced by Warp Films, Matriarch Productions, and Plan B. Mark Herbert and Emily Feller executive produce for Warp Films, while Hannah Walters and Stephen Graham executive produce for Matriarch Productions.
There’s plenty here to make The Unheard one to watch. Thorne has a knack for writing characters under extreme pressure, and pairing Winslet with Peake for a revenge story about two sisters tearing down the road while being hunted sounds like it could make for an intense five hours of television.
The biggest question is what these sisters did, why they did it, and whether getting caught might have been part of the plan all along.