Throughout his illustrious career, Stephen King has never shied away from putting kids in perilous situations. Whether it’s with a coming-of-age tale like Stand by Me or an outright scary story like It, Children of the Corn, Carrie, The Shining, and Firestarter, King’s ability to transport readers and tap into deep-seated childhood fears remains one of his most admirable storytelling qualities.
In 2019, King published the supernatural sci-fi novel The Institute, which MGM+ adapted into an underrated TV series in 2025. At its core, the show follows Luke Ellis (Joe Freeman), a 14-year-old boy who wakes up in a mysterious place for gifted children as he begins uncovering unsettling secrets about the institute’s disturbing past. With Season 2 slated for a November 2026 release, now’s the time to binge the first eight episodes of The Institute before its return.
‘The Institute’ Stands Beside Stephen King’s Best Supernatural Children’s Stories
Based on King’s novel of the same name, Benjamin Cavell (SEAL Team) created The Institute for MGM+. The eight-part first season premiered in July 2025 and follows 14-year-old Luke Ellis’ arrival at the Institute, an eerie, isolated facility deep in the Maine woods, where children with special extrasensory powers are experimented on. When Luke suddenly wakes up there, he learns that a deranged woman named Ms. Sigsby (Mr. Mercedes‘s Mary-Louise Parker) abducted him and believes he can save the world with his powers.
As Luke begins bonding with the other kidnapped children, he plots an escape. Meanwhile, he is subjected to intense torture — including sensory deprivation, serum injections, dream boxes — during his psychological testing. With seemingly no hope or help from adults, Joe makes an ally in Tim Jamieson (Ben Barnes), a night patrol officer who suspects foul play at the Institute and grapples with his own guilt.
With the air of mystery swirling around the cold, dark, creepy world built inside the confines of the holding place for child hostages, the show taps into the childhood fears, anxieties, and paranoia that are major thematic through-lines in King’s work. As Luke uncovers the Institute’s sordid past and mounts an escape, the telepathic and telekinetic powers Luke and his friends exhibit vividly recall Carrie, The Dead Zone, It, Firestarter, and other supernatural King classics. But here, the show expands on King’s recurring theme by oppressing and dehumanizing the children, gaslighting them into thinking their powers will save the world.
What to Expect in ‘The Institute’ Season 2
The Institute Season 2 is slated to premiere on MGM+ on November 8, 2026. Since the first season covered the entire book, the next season will go beyond the novel and tell a new story. Although details are limited, the story is expected to expand beyond the Institute’s stifling confines, connecting to a larger conspiracy. Game of Thrones star Alfie Allen has recently been cast as the new antagonist, Nolan Reeves, joining series newcomer Emma Suttie, who will portray a teen named Ginny.
Following Season 1’s release slate, The Institute Season 2 will feature eight episodes. Beyond fitting well within King’s kids-in-danger bibliography and underscoring the abusive power of human-run institutions at the cost of child exploitation, King followers can take solace in knowing director Jack Bender (Child’s Play 3) is returning for Season 2. Bender has worked on multiple King adaptations before, including Under the Dome, Mr. Mercedes, and The Outsider, proving himself to be one of the more trusted filmmakers to translate the horror scribe’s macabre sensibilities.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
