Line of Duty's Keeley Hawes to star in The Midwich Cuckoos adaptation–here's everything you need to know

Line of Duty's Keeley Hawes is set to star in an adaptation of the 1957 sci-fi novel The Midwich Cuckoos, it has just been announced. 

Adapted from one of the best book club books, the eight-part Sky adaptation is set to be a great, gripping thriller for fans of dystopian shows like The Handmaid's Tale.

The drama will unfold in a modern-day version of the village of Midwich, described by Sky as, "a small English commuter town, is liberal and aspirational, populated by nuclear families and affluent high streets. A place where nothing much happens – and for a very good reason."

What is The Midwich Cuckoos about? 

Written by John Wyndham, The Midwich Cuckoos is a creepy sci-fi novel in which the inhabitants of the village of Midwich mysteriously and inexplicably blackout. It later transpires that many of the women are pregnant—and it's not clear exactly what they're expecting.

The novel has been adapted as a film twice before with the title Village of the Damned, as well as for radio, so we're excited to see a modern-day take on the spooky story.

Who is in The Midwich Cuckoos Cast? 

Keeley Hawes will play the role of psychotherapist, Dr Susannah Zellaby, who is left to treat the aftermath of the strange goings-on in Midwich. 

"I’m absolutely delighted to be working with Sky and the brilliant Ruth Kenley-Letts on David Farr’s superb adaptation of The Midwich Cuckoos," Hawes said in a statement. "I’m very much looking forward to working with the hugely talented Max Beesley and the amazing cast and I can’t wait to enter the strange and unsettling world of Midwich!"

Max Beesley will star alongside Hawes as police officer DCI Paul Kirby, whose job keeping the peace in Midwich is suddenly made far more difficult thanks to the mysterious forces at play. 

Line of Duty fans will spot that the cast list features another alumnus, Anneika Rose, as well as I May Destroy You's Lewis Reeves. Aisling Loftus, Ukweli Roach, Synnøve Karlsen, Lara Rossi and Rebekah Staton are all also confirmed. 

What else has Keeley Hawes starred in? 

One of Keeley Hawkes most notable roles is police officer DI Lindsay Denton in BBC drama Line of Duty, written by Jed Mercurio.

She also had a starring as Home Secretary Julia Montague in Bodyguard, also Mercurio, and more recently as Ritchie Tozer's mother, Valerie, in the Channel 4 drama It's A Sin.

What roles is Max Beesley famous for? 

The Midwich Cuckoos other co-star Max Beesley is probably best recognized for starring in the period drama Jamestown. He's also starred in legal drama suits (yes, alongside Meghan Markle).

When will The Midwich Cuckoos air? 

Sci-fi drama fans will have to wait a little while for The Midwich Cuckoos to hit screens, as production will only start in May 2021.

It'll be available on both Sky and NOW TV at some point in 2022, with an American broadcaster yet to be announced. Until then, you can keep yourself occupied with our round up of the best book-to-movie adaptations. 

We can't wait to see the trailer for this one!