Barbara Van Laar is missing. But there’s more to this story than meets the eye — and more than one disappearance to uncover. It will take an irrepressible young investigator, played by Stranger Things star Maya Hawke, to unravel the mystery of The God of the Woods.
Liz Moore’s bestselling 2024 novel, The God of the Woods, is getting a series adaptation from Netflix, with Moore (Long Bright River) and Liz Hannah (The Girl from Plainville, Mindhunter, The Post) serving as co-showrunners, writers, and executive producers. Hawke (Asteroid City, Do Revenge) will star as Judy Luptack, the first female investigator in the male-dominated Bureau of Criminal Investigation, who’s looking into the disappearance of a 13-year-old girl from a summer camp. Kerry Condon (Train Dreams, F1) will star as Alice Van Laar, the missing teen’s mother.
“We love making TV and can’t wait to bring The God of the Woods to life with our partners at Sony and Netflix,” Moore and Hannah tell Netflix. “We hope everyone falls in love (and hate) with these characters as much as we have.”
Produced by Sony Pictures Television, the new series follows the wealthy Van Laars as they fight to hold their family together, unearthing devastating secrets in the process. Neal H. Moritz and Pavun Shetty executive produce for Original Film.
Read on to learn more about The God of the Woods.
Based on The New York Times bestselling novel, The God of the Woods is a multigenerational drama series set in the Adirondacks. It explores the Van Laar family’s dark secrets, class tensions, and the mysterious disappearance of 13-year-old Barbara Van Laar from her family’s summer camp — in the wake of an earlier family tragedy that may be related. As the past and present collide, the Van Laars’ wealth and influence unravel, revealing the damaging consequences of privilege and the abuse of power.
Maya Hawke (Stranger Things, Inside Out 2, Wishful Thinking) will star as smart and quietly determined Judy Luptack. Judy is the first female investigator in the male-dominated Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and is assigned to unravel the disappearance of a young girl from a summer camp in upstate New York.
BAFTA winner and Academy Award nominee Kerry Condon will play Alice Van Laar. Hardened by the grief of a past family tragedy and trapped in a contempt-filled marriage, Alice is forced to face the unimaginable when her 13-year-old daughter goes missing.
Ella Rubin (Sterling Point, The Idea of You) will play Louise Donnadieu. A working-class counselor at Camp Emerson, Louise’s life is upended when one of her young campers goes missing.
Keep your eyes peeled for more casting updates.
There’s currently no release date for The God of the Woods. Stay tuned for more details as they become available.
