Stranger Things Fan Favorite Reunites With Maya Hawke for Netflix’s The God of the Woods
Another Stranger Things alum is teaming with Maya Hawke in Netflix’s The God of the Woods, as the streamer unveils a crime drama cast that takes her far from Hawkins.
Stranger Things fans, here’s a twist that’s a bit of a treat—Netflix is lining up another Hawkins alumnus, this time for their new crime drama series The God of the Woods. If you’ve already got Maya Hawke on your radar (who doesn’t, honestly?), she’s not coming alone.
Stranger Things meets Summer Camp Whodunit
Right, so here’s what’s just landed: Netflix has locked in the full main cast for The God of the Woods, an adaptation of Liz Moore’s bestselling 2024 novel. Maya Hawke moves on from supernatural mayhem to something quite a bit grimmer—slipping straight into the lead role as Judy Luptack, the first woman ever to tackle investigations for the Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Different world, same sense of danger.
But get this—joining Hawke is Nell Fisher, who you might remember as Holly Wheeler, the youngest by miles in Stranger Things. Fisher is playing Barbara Van Laar, a creative and stubborn teenager whose disappearance from her family’s upstate New York summer camp is how all the trouble kicks off.
They’re joined by a fairly stacked cast: Kerry Condon (the Oscar nominee you saw in The Banshees of Inisherin) steps in as Alice Van Laar, Barbara’s mother—she’s dealing with more than her fair share after a previous family tragedy, and it sounds like things at home aren’t exactly joyful. Damon Gupton, Ella Rubin, Susannah Perkins, Benjamin Walker, and Autumn Molina round out the rest, though Netflix’s announcement didn’t bother with detailed character bios for them just yet.
What’s the story?
Set in the leafy wilds of the Adirondacks, The God of the Woods kicks off with Barbara’s vanishing act at the Van Laar family camp. Hawke’s Luptack is put on the case, and—no surprises—it immediately gets messy: the disappearance echoes an earlier tragedy in that same wealthy, influential family.
As the investigation rolls out, all sorts of skeletons start tumbling out: family secrets, sharp-edged class divides, and a lot of fussing over who really pulls the strings in that part of New York. If you like your mysteries tangled and heavy on atmosphere (and frankly, who doesn’t at this point?), it looks like this will give you plenty to chew on.
Key players behind the scenes
- Liz Moore (the original author) and Liz Hannah are sharing co-showrunner, writer, and executive producer duties. That’s a fair amount of Lizzes, so expect the adaptation to stay in capable hands.
- Sony Pictures Television is steering the production, with Neal H. Moritz and Pavun Shetty executive producing via Original Film.
When’s it coming?
Don’t dust off your picnic basket just yet—Netflix hasn’t confirmed a release date for The God of the Woods.
'Introducing the cast of THE GOD OF THE WOODS, the new series adaptation of the New York Times bestselling novel by Liz Moore. Starring Kerry Condon, Maya Hawke, Damon Gupton, Ella Rubin, Susannah Perkins, Benjamin Walker, Nell Fisher, and Autumn Molina.'
If your Stranger Things rewatches are starting to feel a bit stale, at least you know there’s another familiar face on the way.