Toni Collette Haunts in First Trailer for Netflix’s Chilling Thriller ‘Wayward’
Netflix is bringing a new thriller to its lineup this fall. Wayward, a Canadian miniseries from creator Mae Martin, will arrive on the platform September 25, 2025, after making its world debut at the Toronto International Film Festival.
The show is set in a quiet town that looks safe from the outside but hides disturbing secrets.
At the heart of the story is Tall Pines Academy, a place that presents itself as a school for troubled teens. While the academy promises hope and recovery, its true nature is far more dangerous.
Toni Collette stars as Evelyn Wade, the face of Tall Pines. In the trailer, Evelyn speaks warmly about the peace and comfort the academy offers. But as her message plays, dark glimpses of what really happens inside the camp come to light.
Mae Martin plays police officer Alex Dempsey, who returns to the town with his pregnant wife Laura, played by Sarah Gadon. They move back hoping for a fresh start, but their new life quickly unravels once they discover the town’s hidden truth.
Behind this door, nothing is what it seems.
— Netflix (@netflix) August 28, 2025
Mae Martin and Toni Collette star in the new limited series WAYWARD. Premiering September 25. pic.twitter.com/anx5FUfSrn
The cast also includes Sydney Topliffe, Alyvia Alyn Lind, Brandon Jay McLaren, Tattiawna Jones, Isolde Ardies, Joshua Close, Patrick J. Adams, Patrick Gallagher, Gage Munroe, and Byron Mann.
Netflix ordered the eight-part series in 2023. Martin, who also serves as showrunner, is leading the project with executive producer Ryan Scott.
Production is being handled by Objective Fiction, which operates out of London and Los Angeles, together with Canada’s Sphere Media. The series was originally titled Tall Pines before being renamed Wayward.
When speaking about the project, Martin shared how personal it is to them, saying it’s a story they have “been dying to tell for years.” Filming took place in Ontario in 2024, with several cast members officially joining during the spring and summer of that year.
Wayward is shaping up to be one of Netflix’s most talked-about thrillers of the year, blending mystery with unsettling themes about control and secrecy in small-town life.
Are you planning to watch Wayward when it drops on Netflix? Share your thoughts in the comments.
