Filming has begun in Manchester and the North West for the new Harlan Coben Netflix thriller Fool Me Once. It will mark the 8th on-screen adaptation of the author’s novels, following the success of titles including Safe, Stay Close, and The Stranger, and will employ the familiar Northern presence of Michelle Keegan, star of Coronation Street, Our Girl, and Brassic over the years.
The likes of Richard Armitage, Adeel Akhtar, and Joanna Lumley will appear in the thriller alongside Keegan, some of whom are veterans of Coben’s Netflix adaptations. Coben will also be an executive producer on the eight-part series, as he has been on many of his past works, and said: “I’m thrilled and honoured to once again be collaborating with my uber-talented partners.
“Fool Me Once will be our fourth Netflix series 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.”
The thriller follows Maya Stern (Michelle Keegan) who is trying to come to terms with the brutal murder of her husband, Joe (Richard Armitage). 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 (Adeel Akhtar) 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.
Danny Brocklehurst has written and will co-produce, having previously been part of Coben’s Netflix thriller team, as well as having credits on Brassic, on which he worked with Michelle Keegan. He said: “Following on from our smash hits The Stranger and Stay Close, Fool Me Once does not disappoint.
“Harlan’s books are storytelling genius and it’s great to be entrusted once more in bringing his gripping stories of life. As always with our thrillers, expect twist upon twist and an emotional roller-coaster. Plus, the cast is phenomenal – audiences are in for a treat!”
Coben continues his work with local screenwriters from around the world to bring his novels to life on screen, so far across four languages.
There’s no word yet on a release date, so keep your eyes peeled for updates!