Richard Armitage to Star in New Harlan Coben Series on Netflix: What We Know So Far

Another Harlan Coben series is coming to Netflix. Richard Armitage, Michelle Keegan, and Joanna Lumley will star in Fool Me Once, based on Coben’s book of the same name. 

‘Fool Me Once’ is currently filming in the U.K. 

Fool Me Once follows a woman named Maya Stern, who is struggling to move forward after the murder of her husband, Joe. Then, she spots someone on her home’s nanny cam who is supposed to be dead. Detective Sergeant Sami Kierce leads the investigation into Joe’s death while grappling with secrets of his own. At the same time, Maya’s niece Abby and nephew Daniel are dealing with the death of their mother, who was murdered seveal months earlier. Could her death and Joe’s murder be linked? 

Keegan plays Maya, while The Hobbit star Armitage will portray Joe. Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous) will play Joe’s protective mother Judith. Adeel Akhtar plays Kierce. The Fool Me Once cast also includes Shane Tessier and Marty McGreggor.

The eight-episode series is currently filming in Manchester. (Like previous Coben adaptations, the upcoming series shifts the action from the U.S. to the U.K.) A release date has not been announced. 

Richard Armitage says he ‘can’t wait’ to get to work on ‘Fool Me Once’ 

Armitage has appeared in two other Netflix adaptations of Coben’s novels, 2020’s The Stranger and 2021’s Stay Close. He’s excited to work on another project based on the author’s work, and to team up with Lumley.

“Can’t wait to return to Manchester to the world of Harlan Coben,” Armitage tweeted on Feb. 20. “Last time I saw Joanna Lumley was at St Paul’s cathedral for a carol concert. We had tea with the vicar… I struggled to keep a straight face.”

Coben promises that the new series will deliver plenty of twists and thrills. 

“Fool Me Once is a pulse-pounder — a shocking story of how secrets and deceit have the power to bring people together while simultaneously tearing them apart,” he said in a statement. “I can’t wait to see how this dream cast brings these characters to life.”

“Harlan’s books are storytelling genius and it’s great to be entrusted once more in bringing his gripping stories of life,” said writer Danny Brocklehurst. “As always with our thrillers, expect twist upon twist and an emotional rollercoaster. Plus, the cast is phenomenal – audiences are in for a treat!”

The new series is the latest Harlan Coben Netflix adaptation 

Fool Me Once is the latest in a string of Netflix adaptations of Coben’s books. In addition to The Stranger and Stay Close, the streamer has produced several non-English language versions of his stories. They include the French series Gone for Good and the Spanish-language The Innocent, both released in 2021, as well as the Polish-language series Hold Tight (2022) and The Woods (2020).  

In 2022, Coben extended his existing deal with Netflix, which means more adaptations of his best-selling books are on the horizon. That includes a show based on his Myron Bolitar series that is currently in development, Deadline reports.

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