Josh Hartnett Returns With New Netflix Thriller ‘Below’ as First Look and Release Date Are Revealed

Josh Hartnett is heading to the coast of Newfoundland for a new mystery thriller that mixes family drama, local legends, and a terrifying creature lurking beneath the ocean.

Netflix has revealed the first look at Below, a six-episode thriller series created by Jesse McKeown, who previously worked as a writer on The Umbrella Academy and 19-2. The series is set to arrive on Netflix on October 8 and follows a small fishing community that finds itself facing a deadly threat from the sea.

The story centers on Calvin Penney, played by Hartnett, a fisherman living in the remote town of Snooks Arm, Newfoundland. Calvin is a hardworking but troubled man who has spent years carrying the pain of his father’s mysterious death. When a strange sea creature begins attacking the area, Calvin must put aside his personal struggles and help protect the people he loves.

According to Netflix’s Tudum, Calvin joins forces with a marine researcher named Fonda Howander, played by Mackenzie Davis, as they try to discover what is hiding beneath the water. Together, they uncover secrets connected to the island while fighting to keep the community from falling apart.

The series also stars Charlie Heaton as Calvin’s son Wade, a young man who becomes caught in the middle of the terrifying events. The cast includes Willow Kean as Ruth Penney, Ruby Stokes as Mary Penney, Rohan Campbell as Jay Penney, and Kaleb Horn as Noah.

For Hartnett, the location and the story were major reasons he wanted to join the project. In an interview with Tudum, the actor said he immediately connected with the scripts and the world that McKeown created.

“I read the first two scripts in less than an hour,” Hartnett said. “The voice was so clear, the concept was so engaging, and the character was fantastic. I’d never read anything like it before. I had never read anything that was set in Newfoundland before.”

Hartnett also explained that working on Below introduced him to the unique history and culture of Newfoundland, including its own traditions, dialect, and connection to the ocean.

Creator Jesse McKeown said Newfoundland was always the perfect place to tell this story. Having visited the area for years, he wanted to create something that captured both the beauty and danger of the location.

“I’ve been coming to Newfoundland for many years, and it’s become a part of my life,” McKeown told Tudum. “I just always felt like I wanted to set something here, that this would be a great place for something big and something kind of epic.”

McKeown added that while the landscape can feel isolated and intimidating, the people and communities there are what make the setting special.

“There’s also this other side to it, which is that the community is so warm and the people are so funny and unique and there are so many eccentricities about the place,” he said.

The show is described as a combination of suspense, local mythology, and emotional family drama. Along with the creature mystery, the story focuses on themes of family, survival, and how small communities handle major changes.

Below features a writing team that includes Karen Walton, known for Orphan Black, Perry Chafe from Saint-Pierre, and Natty Zavitz from Edging. The episodes are directed by Jamie Childs, Helen Shaver, and Stephen Dunn.

Hartnett is also part of the show’s executive producing team alongside McKeown, Jessica Rhoades, Chris Hatcher, Jamie Childs, Louise Sutton, and Sharon Hall.

Netflix Canada executives Danielle Woodrow and Tara Woodbury praised the series for combining a thrilling mystery with a strong emotional story.

“Jesse’s bold, ambitious vision offers thrills galore, with the heart of a family drama,” they said. “We can’t wait to transport our members to coastal Newfoundland with this timely story about community, resilience, and adaptability.”

Production took place entirely in Newfoundland, Canada. The region’s dramatic coastline and fishing communities play a major role in creating the atmosphere of the series.

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Dr. Andrew Furey also praised the production, saying the area’s history and scenery made it the perfect place for a project of this size.

“Newfoundland and Labrador’s rich history and stunning landscapes make it the ideal canvas for a project of this magnitude,” Furey said.

With Hartnett leading the cast and a mysterious creature threatening a quiet coastal town, Below looks set to deliver a mix of horror, adventure, and family drama when all six episodes arrive on Netflix this fall.

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