LOS ANGELES — Following the record-breaking success of Fool Me Once and Run Away, Netflix is doubling down on its “Coben-verse” with a high-stakes adaptation of the 2023 bestseller I Will Find You.
In a significant departure from the string of recent UK-based hits like Missing You, this eight-part limited series will mark the first time one of Coben’s novels has been adapted by Netflix into a U.S.-based setting. The production, which wrapped filming in Toronto and New York late last year, is officially slated for a global release in late 2026.
The Plot: A Father’s Impossible Escape
The series follows David Burroughs (Sam Worthington), an innocent father serving a life sentence in a maximum-security prison for the brutal murder of his own son, Matthew. Five years into his sentence, David is a shell of a man—until his former sister-in-law arrives with a shocking piece of evidence: a photograph from an amusement park featuring a boy in the background who looks exactly like Matthew would at age eight.
The Stakes:
- The Breakout: David must execute a harrowing prison escape to track down his son.
- The Chase: While evading a nationwide FBI manhunt, he must uncover the conspiracy that framed him.
- The Mystery: If Matthew is alive, whose blood was found in the family home five years ago?
An A-List Ensemble Cast
Netflix has assembled a powerhouse international cast to bring Coben’s American thriller to life.
The series is co-created by Harlan Coben and Robert Hull (Quantum Leap), with Hull serving as the showrunner.
The “Coben” Formula Goes Global
Since signing his landmark multi-series deal with Netflix, Coben has become a “one-man genre” for the streamer. By relocating this story back to its original American roots, Netflix is looking to tap into the massive U.S. domestic market while maintaining the “bingeable” mystery format that has made his Polish (The Woods), Spanish (The Innocent), and British (Stay Close) adaptations global hits.
”I Will Find You is one of my most personal stories,” Coben said in a recent interview. “Setting it in the U.S. with this incredible cast allows us to lean into that gritty, fast-paced American noir feeling that fans of the book loved.”
What’s Next in the Coben-verse?
With Run Away (starring James Nesbitt) having already debuted on January 1, 2026, the release of I Will Find You later this year will cap off a prolific 12 months for the author. Also in the pipeline are adaptations of Caught and Just One Look, ensuring that the “Final Twist” era of Netflix dominance shows no signs of slowing down.
Production Fast Facts:
- Format: 8-episode Limited Series.
- Release Window: Late 2026.
- Filming Locations: Kingston Penitentiary (Ontario), University of Toronto, and New York City’s Washington Square Park.
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