A new small-screen take on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic adventure novel sets sail this weekend. 'Treasure Island', a six-part series led by David Oyelowo and Hayley Atwell, premieres Sunday, October 11 on MGM+ in the United States, with a UK and Ireland launch on Paramount+ the following day.
The series is described as a high-stakes reinvention of the 1883 novel. Tom Sweet plays teenager Jim Hawkins, while Oyelowo takes on the iconic role of Long John Silver — the ship's cook whose charm and cunning make him the story's moral wild card. Atwell plays Bess Hawkins, Jim's mother, who gets a far larger role than in the book: here she is a quick-thinking central figure whose decisions put both her and her son in danger.
A fresh angle on the classic
The story begins at the Admiral Benbow inn, where Billy Bones — played by Tomer Capone — arrives with a sea chest and the treasure map that starts all the trouble. Jack Huston joins the cast as Aaron Graham, a British agent with his own reasons for wanting the map, as a deadly race develops for the gold of the infamous Captain Flint. Set in 1788, the series moves from storm-battered Cornwall across treacherous seas to a jungle island, closing on Skeleton Island.
The series was created by Robert Murphy and directed by Jeremy Lovering, William McGregor and Paul Walker. It was commissioned by MGM+ in the US and Paramount+ in the UK, and is produced by Playground Entertainment. Filming began in March 2026, with some production services in Spain.
Early reviews
Early critical reaction has praised the lead performances while finding the series uneven. Collider gave it 6 out of 10, highlighting Atwell and Oyelowo as standout performers and noting that changes to the source material help the show distinguish itself, though some plot threads in the later episodes feel abandoned.
Episodes will roll out weekly after the October 11 premiere.
Sources:
- Hayley Atwell and David Oyelowo Steal a Dazzling but Uneven 'Treasure Island' Adaptation | Review — Collider
- Treasure Island Trailer Previews David Oyelowo and Hayley Atwell's Gritty Pirate TV Show — Mandatory
The series is described as a high-stakes reinvention of the 1883 novel. Tom Sweet plays teenager Jim Hawkins, while Oyelowo takes on the iconic role of Long John Silver — the ship's cook whose charm and cunning make him the story's moral wild card. Atwell plays Bess Hawkins, Jim's mother, who gets a far larger role than in the book: here she is a quick-thinking central figure whose decisions put both her and her son in danger.
A fresh angle on the classic
The story begins at the Admiral Benbow inn, where Billy Bones — played by Tomer Capone — arrives with a sea chest and the treasure map that starts all the trouble. Jack Huston joins the cast as Aaron Graham, a British agent with his own reasons for wanting the map, as a deadly race develops for the gold of the infamous Captain Flint. Set in 1788, the series moves from storm-battered Cornwall across treacherous seas to a jungle island, closing on Skeleton Island.
The series was created by Robert Murphy and directed by Jeremy Lovering, William McGregor and Paul Walker. It was commissioned by MGM+ in the US and Paramount+ in the UK, and is produced by Playground Entertainment. Filming began in March 2026, with some production services in Spain.
Early reviews
Early critical reaction has praised the lead performances while finding the series uneven. Collider gave it 6 out of 10, highlighting Atwell and Oyelowo as standout performers and noting that changes to the source material help the show distinguish itself, though some plot threads in the later episodes feel abandoned.
Episodes will roll out weekly after the October 11 premiere.
Sources:
- Hayley Atwell and David Oyelowo Steal a Dazzling but Uneven 'Treasure Island' Adaptation | Review — Collider
- Treasure Island Trailer Previews David Oyelowo and Hayley Atwell's Gritty Pirate TV Show — Mandatory
