Baby Reindeer creator, writer, and star Richard Gadd’s overwhelming Netflix success led to swift speculation about what project he would tackle next after taking the semi-autobiographical route. As it turns out, Gadd had no problem in selecting his next creative route, and very quickly, he announced a project with the working title of Lions. Fast forward a few months, and Gadd’s project not only has an official name but has tackled casting and is barreling towards filming for HBO/BBC/BBC Scotland. Let’s not waste any more time and talk about what to expect:
Plot
Half Man would the new name in question, and already, previously outlined plans have changed for the better. That is to say: Gadd did not intend to appear in front of the camera. However, somebody must have convinced him to reconsider because Gadd has been confirmed as one of two male leads in the limited series now retitled as Half Man. This limited series will co-star Jamie Bell (as Niall) alongside Gadd (as Ruben), and the pair will portray estranged siblings whose strained relationship reaches a (violent) breaking point when Ruben surfaces at Niall’s wedding.
This limited series will run six episodes and will film in Scotland, so hopefully, Gadd will get his kilt-game on again. According to Deadline, Gadd actually wrote this series “with [Bell] in mind, never thinking for a second we would manage to land him.” He added that Bell is “one of the greatest actors of his generation.” Here’s the series description:
Spanning almost forty years from the 1980s to the present day, this ambitious series will cover the highs and lows of the brothers’ relationship, from them meeting as teenagers to their falling out as adults – with all the good, bad, terrible, funny, angry, and challenging moments along the way. It will capture the wild energy of a changing city – a changing world, even – and try to get to the bottom of the difficult question… What does it mean to be a man?
On an unrelated note, it’s worth noting that Baby Reindeer‘s semi-autobiographical and trauma-based subject matter shares commonalities with Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You, which also landed on HBO and BBC in 2020. The recently announced First Day On Earth from Coel will also bring her back to HBO. In other words, there’s plenty to look forward to from this pair of creatives who share a flair for inserting dark comedy into serious subject matter with an unflinching eye and an unquenchable thirst for storytelling.
Cast
Gadd and Jamie Bell will be a powerhouse duo, and hopefully, we’ll hear about the supporting cast before too long.
Release Date
No release window has surfaced yet, but with filming starting in early 2025, we can cross our fingers for late 2025 or early 2026.
Trailer
No trailer yet, but while we wait, the onstage breakdown scene of Baby Reindeer serves as a reminder of how Gadd has proven himself unparalleled on how to lay his soul bare in front of the world.
