Lord of the Flies is the first television drama series based on the 1954 novel of the same name by William Golding. It was developed by Jack Thorne and directed by Marc Munden for BBC iPlayer and BBC One in a co-production with Stan. The series was released on 8 February 2026. == Premise == Following a plane crash, a group of young boys become stranded on a tropical island in the Pacific Ocean in the early 1950s. Ralph attempts to lead the boys, with help from the intellectual Piggy, in the hope of escaping from their current horrid situation, but a power struggle arises with Jack. == Cast and characters == Winston Sawyers as Ralph Lox Pratt as Jack David McKenna as Piggy Ike Talbut as Simon Thomas Connor as Roger Noah Flemyng as Sam Cassius Flemyng as Eric Cornelius Brandreth as Maurice Tom Page-Turner as Bill Rafael de Belligny as Robert Lake Coleman as Boy with Birthmark Freddie Lee-Grey as Percival Beau Thompson as Philip Fred Jones as Johnny == Production == Adapted from the 1954 novel of the same name by William Golding, Lord of the Flies is produced by Eleven for BBC iPlayer and BBC One in a co-production with Stan in Australia, and Sony Pictures Television as the international distributor. The adaptation consists of four 60-minute episodes, each titled after one of the main characters: Ralph, Piggy, Simon, and Jack. The series was made with the support of Golding's family. Stills were first released in October 2025. A trailer was released on 28 January 2026. === Casting === In October 2023, the BBC announced that Nina Gold would cast the series and that the production was seeking boys aged 10–13 years old with no acting experience required. Alongside the main cast, an ensemble of more than 20 boys will be playing the desert island camp's "big 'uns" and "little 'uns". The series has an ensemble cast of over 30 actors, many of whom are making their professional acting debuts. === Filming === In September 2024, principal photography was confirmed to be taking place in Malaysia, with plans for filming in the UK later in the year. === Music === Hans Zimmer and Kara Talve of Bleeding Fingers Music created the series' main theme and additional music, and original music for the series was written by Cristobal Tapia de Veer. == Release == All four episodes of the series were made available on BBC iPlayer in the United Kingdom and on Stan in Australia on 8 February 2026. Later that same day, the first episode was broadcast on BBC One, with subsequent episodes airing weekly. Sony Pictures Television is responsible for the series' international distribution. In New Zealand, the series was released on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+. == Reception == The series received positive reviews from critics. Anita Singh of The Telegraph awarded the adaptation five stars, calling it “a first-class example of an adaptation done right.” Writing for The Independent, Nick Hilton gave the series four stars and described it as “bold” and “brilliant,” suggesting it would “terrify parents as much as Adolescence.” Claudia Cockerell of The Standard, also rating it four stars, praised it as “a slick, visually rich adaptation of William Golding’s classic,” adding that “adapting a cultural monolith for TV is a delicate task, but Jack Thorne manages it with aplomb.” Radio Times, also awarding four stars, commented that the adaptation serves as "a glorious reminder of the novel's power". Lucy Mangan of The Guardian was more reserved, awarding three stars while highlighting that “the acting is absolutely excellent.” Annabel Sampson of Tatler offered a strongly emotive response, describing the series as “blinding in its beauty and its brutality,” and asserting that the adaptation “will get you right in the gut.” == References == == External links == Lord of the Flies at IMDb Lord of the Flies on BBC iPlayer