Netflix Assembles Massive Star-Studded Cast for New ‘Tales of the Unexpected’ Roald Dahl Series

Thanks to a new trade report and Netflix itself confirming the project following our exclusive on Monday, we finally have a wealth of new details on the highly anticipated six-part drama that’s bringing Tales of the Unexpected to life, including an absolutely stacked cast to go alongside our earlier reveals and an official logline.

As you may remember, we’ve been tracking this mysterious project for a while. In our original report, we broke the news that Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan was set to star in the project, which was filming under the working title of Zoltar. Now, the curtain has been pulled back even further on Netflix’s latest expansion of the Roald Dahl universe—which already includes Wes Anderson’s Oscar-winning short films and the upcoming competition series The Golden Ticket.

Here is a breakdown of all the new intel we’ve just learned.

The Creative Team

If you loved Netflix’s smash-hit Harlan Coben adaptations, you’re in luck. Danny Brocklehurst, the lead writer behind Fool Me Once, Stay Close, and The Stranger, is penning the six-part drama.

The series is being produced by Orchid Pictures, the production company founded by The Crown executive producer Suzanne Mackie. Mackie will executive produce alongside Brocklehurst and Gabriel Silver (Chernobyl). Sarah Lewis serves as series producer, while directing duties will be split between Runyararo Mapfumo (Sex Education) and Ben Gregor (The Magic Faraway Tree).

Brocklehurst, who noted that Dahl was the very first writer he ever wanted to emulate, teased that the show will bring these classic stories into the modern era:

“His enthralling, macabre and always unexpected tales gave life to vibrant, larger-than-life characters like The Landlady, Mister Boggis and the mysterious Fingersmith. To be given the chance to bring these characters to life in a contemporary setting is a dream come true.”

A Star-Studded Cast

We already knew Nicola Coughlan was attached, but the ensemble surrounding her is massive. Joining the Bridgerton fan-favorite are two heavy hitters from The Crown: Imelda Staunton and Dominic West.

Here is the full rundown of the newly announced cast:

• Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton, Derry Girls)
• Imelda Staunton (The Crown, Harry Potter)
• Dominic West (The Crown, The Wire)
• Naomi Scott (Smile 2, Anatomy of a Scandal)
• Josh Finan (The Gentlemen, Say Nothing)
• Toby Jones (The Pale Blue Eye, MobLand)
• Carmen Ejogo (The Penguin, True Detective)
• Christine Tremarco (Adolescence, The Responder)
• Michael Socha (The Cage, This Is England)
• Clarke Peters (Da 5 Bloods, The Boroughs)

The Official Logline

While fans of the original 1970s Tales of the Unexpected TV series might be expecting a straightforward anthology, it sounds like Netflix is taking a slightly different approach.

Here is the official logline for the series:

“Brocklehurst weaves a deliciously twisted tale through Roald Dahl’s iconic short stories. A young couple, marooned in a faded seaside town, navigate conmen, adulterers, murderous mothers and snake charmers as they attempt to escape before their own fate is sealed.”

Lingering Questions…

While this is a massive info dump, we at What’s on Netflix still have a few lingering questions about the project:

1. What is the official title? The trades are currently referring to this as an “untitled drama.” We know it filmed under the codename Zoltar, but will Netflix lean into the IP and call it Tales of the Unexpected?
2. How will the format work? The logline mentions a “young couple” navigating the town, which suggests a serialized, overarching narrative thread rather than a traditional standalone anthology. We’re incredibly curious to see how Brocklehurst weaves characters like “The Landlady” and “Mister Boggis” into one cohesive seaside universe.
3. Who is playing who? With a cast this big, Netflix is keeping character details tightly under wraps. We’ll be keeping our ears to the ground to figure out who is stepping into the shoes of Dahl’s most infamous villains. The only person we know for definite is Coughlan’s role as Mary Maloney from the short story, Lamb to the Slaughter. 

Filming is currently underway in Manchester, and there are plans to film all over the UK in the coming weeks, we’re told, including a stop at Saltburn on Sea. Given the production timeline, we expect this one to land on our screens sometime in 2027.

Are you excited about this new Roald Dahl series? What do you think of the cast? Let us know in the comments down below!