Following its premiere in the UK on BBC’s children’s network, CBBC, The Famous Five now has an official release date for its arrival in the United States via Hulu.
The series is an adaptation of Enid Blyton’s book series of the same name. Blyton’s series follows a group of four children—George, Julian, Dick, and Anne— and their trusty dog, Timmy, as they go on numerous adventures ranging from stopping criminals to finding hidden treasure. The Famous Five books were so popular and successful that Blyton ultimately wrote 21 novels and a number of short stories featuring the characters. The stories gained attention because of their nostalgic and comforting nature, as well as the rural setting, which Blyton, a nature enthusiast, often described in stunning detail. Her books led to her becoming one of the bestselling children’s authors of all time and continue to be cherished by children and adults today.
Since the first The Famous Five book was released in 1942, there have been several film and TV adaptations. However, the most recent live-action adaptation was almost thirty years ago. It’s quite exciting, then, that the iconic team is finally getting its first modern adaptation.
Hulu drops the first trailer for The Famous Five
As mentioned above, The Famous Five premiered in the UK in December 2023. However, the series is now coming to the U.S. and will be available to stream on May 31 on Hulu. To celebrate the official U.S. release date announcement, the streamer dropped the official trailer for The Famous Five.
The trailer teases quite a nostalgic and wholesome adventure series. It seems the “famous five” are playing the role of detectives in the series, investigating crimes, “ruthless enemy agents,” and perhaps even Britain’s government. Although some may dismiss them as children, one woman warns, “Never underestimate children.” Given the hints of action-packed adventures and treacherous missions, the famous five do seem to be quite the formidable (and adorable) team.
For its titular team, The Famous Five has tapped several rising child stars. Starring Julian, the oldest member of the team, is The Northman star Elliott Rose. Appearing as his tomboyish and fiery cousin is Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey‘s Diaana Babnicova as George. Meanwhile, Flora Jacoby Richardson and Kit Rakusen have signed on to portray Julian’s younger siblings, Anne and Dick, respectively. Also, canine actor Kip will appear in the series as the team’s trusty and loyal dog, Timmy.
Ted Lasso‘s James Lance will appear in The Famous Five as Quentin, George’s father, alongside Anne Akinjirin, who portrays George’s mother, Fanny. Rounding out the cast are a number of guest stars, including William Abadie as Franklin Boswell, Ed Speleers as Mr. Roland, Jack Gleeson as Thomas Wentworth, Nora Arnezeder as Sabrina Grover, and Diana Quick as Mrs. Wentworth.
The official synopsis for The Famous Five reads:
Based on Enid Blyton’s bestselling novels, “The Famous Five” follows George, Julian, Dick, Anne and their dog Timmy: five daring young explorers who encounter treacherous, action-packed adventures, remarkable mysteries, unparalleled danger and astounding secrets.
It is unclear which books the series will adapt. However, it’s likely that it will pull stories and adventures from multiple books and play out like an anthology series, with each episode tackling a separate mystery or adventure. Such a format would capture the spirit of the book series quite well and would also be well-suited for the show’s 90-minute-long episodes.
