While we all wait for the endlessly talented Ridley Scott to release his take on the classic tale of Treasure Island, fans of the swashbuckling tale have a different version to lean back on. MGM+ and Paramount+ are beating the decorated director to the punch with their own Treasure Island release, this time as a six-part television series.
A trailer for the upcoming series gave viewers a brief glimpse of what to expect from the upcoming release. Unlike previous approaches to Scottish novelist Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic, directors Jeremy Lovering, William McGregor, and Paul Walker plan to give the story space to breathe by releasing it over six separate episodes. The tale of Jim Hawkins and his quest to find the lost island will release on MGM+ in the United States and Paramount+ in the United Kingdom starting with the debut episode on Oct. 11.
The story will follow Jim and his mother, Bess Hawkins, who, following the discovery of a treasure map, set off aboard the Hispaniola, navigating threats from pirates and outside forces alike. The trailer packs plenty of action and intrigue into the brief glimpse at the upcoming series, promising no shortage of tension and excitement across its single-season run.
The official trailer promises a more serious take than we got from John Musker back in the early 2000s or The Muppets a decade earlier. The footage also teases a thrilling tale that puts Jim’s mother, Bess — played by Marvel star Hayley Atwell — in a leading role. She’ll appear alongside Tom Sweet, who plays Jim, Selma‘s David Oyelowo as Long John Silver, and Poldark star Tristan Sturrock as Captain Smollett.
Depending on which era you grew up in, you probably consider very different versions of Treasure Island to be the superior option. For many millennials, the animated 2002 Disney film is a shoo-in. It’s a beloved favorite, as is 1996’s unforgettable Muppet Treasure Island. Even the old silent versions of the story top the list for some viewers, but those opinions might be about to change with MGM’s fresh approach to the story.
The six-part series faces harsh competition with Scott’s eventual Hugh Jackman-led film, but the number of adaptations Treasure Island has enjoyed shows that audiences still have plenty of appetite for the story. It’s been adapted a dozen times in English alone, and that’s without considering other televised attempts at the longstanding tale. This latest approach to the story looks to deliver just what audiences are looking for.
- Release Date
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October 11, 2026
- Network
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MGM+
