Netflix released the teaser trailer for new series Maniac today and it’s insane alright — insanely ambiguous.
The trailer features Jonah Hill and Emma Stone sitting expressionless across a table from each other while some colours change in the background. A voiceover informs the audience that the mind “can be solved.” And that about does it. You now know as much as I do. But the star-studded cast featuring Hill, Stone, Justin Theroux, and Sally Field piques my interest enough to dig for a few more details.
Here’s everything we know so far about the limited series so far: all 10 episodes will be directed by Cary Fukunaga, whose credits include Beast of No Nation and True Detective. Given his previous work, it’s safe to assume Maniac is going to be panther-in-a-blackout dark. Definitely not a show to watch alone.
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According to Netflix, the show’s premise follows patients who volunteer for an experimental pharmaceutical trial that promises to “with no complications or side-effects whatsoever, solve all of their problems, permanently. Things do not go as planned.” Netflix has also called it a dark comedy, though from the description and trailer it’s hard to imagine how humour will sneak in.
Finally, Maniac is written and produced by Patrick Somerville, known for creating a rich universe from a left-field sounding premise on The Leftovers. If I would trust anyone with the nutty premise, it would be him.
With all the mystery shrouding the limited series, we might just have to take a leap of faith based on the insane (see what I did there) talent level involved and try it out for ourselves. We won’t have to wait too long: Maniac debuts on Netflix on 21st September.