Playdate, a major new drama for Disney+, has started filming in Manchester with Eva Husson directing from Catherine Moulton’s scripts; the five-part series is an adaptation of the novel by Alex Dahl. 
 

Nicola Shindler executive produces for Quay Street Productions alongside Tanya Seghatchian and John Woodward of Brightstar, Johanna Devereaux, VP of scripted content for Disney+ EMEA, Alex Dahl, Eva Husson and Catherine Moulton. James Dean produces; filming will also take place in France.
 

Playdate is a worst-nightmare psychological thriller about a nine-year-old girl who goes for a sleepover with her new friend. When her mum, Elisa, goes to collect her the next morning however, she finds that the beautiful house is actually a holiday rental and everyone has vanished – an overnight playdate has become an abduction. A manhunt ensues across Europe with Elisa and her husband Fred coming under suspicion from the police as their perfect family begins to unravel. 
 

Shindler said: “Playdate tells the story of fascinating, relatable and complex women in a situation that is any parent’s worst nightmare,” while Brightstar’s Seghatchian and Woodward described it as a “very rare beast – a thriller that combines beautifully crafted edge-of-the-seat suspense with unexpected plot twists and truly powerful drama.”
 

Johanna Devereaux, VP of scripted content for Disney+ EMEA, added: “Playdate is a brilliantly twisty thriller with a terrifying, instantly relatable hook. We are very proud to be working with celebrated producers, a visionary director Eva Husson and rising star writer on this must-see thriller.”