First things first: this Dark Matter is not related to the cult-beloved Syfy series of the same name that ended its run in 2017. This new series is based on Blake Crouch’s 2016 novel Dark Matter, and despite that not-entirely-original title, the fact that it’s coming from Apple TV+—which has a proven track record for making obsession-worthy sci-fi series—bodes very well indeed.
Today, we have a first trailer for the series, which stars Joel Edgerton as a Chicago man who must travel across different dimensions—some very inhospitable—and take on an invasive version of himself if he wants to reunite with his family. The rest of the cast includes Jennifer Connelly, Alice Braga, Jimmi Simpson, Dayo Okeniyi, and Oakes Fegley.
Even his favorite bartender doesn’t recognize him! You know that’s bad news. If you’ve read the book by Crouch, who also wrote the source material for the Wayward Pines series a few years back, you can see that this appears to be a rather faithful adaptation. Crouch is credited as “creator, executive producer, showrunner, and writer;” star Edgerton is also one of the exec producers, alongside Matt Tolmach and David Manpearl.
Here’s the official description: “The series will follow Jason Dessen (played by Edgerton), a physicist, professor, and family man who—one night while walking home on the streets of Chicago—is abducted into an alternate version of his life. Wonder quickly turns to nightmare when he tries to return to his reality amid the mind-bending landscape of lives he could have lived. In this labyrinth of realities, he embarks on a harrowing journey to get back to his true family and save them from the most terrifying, unbeatable foe imaginable: himself.”
Dark Matter runs nine episodes, with the first two dropping Wednesday, May 8, followed by a weekly rollout through June 26.
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