Something wicked this way comes in the upcoming sci-fi series The Boroughs, from creators, showrunners, and executive producers Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews (The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance). 

The eight-episode drama, which is also executive produced by The Duffer Brothers, is set in a seemingly perfect retirement community. There, a grieving newcomer’s monstrous encounter inspires him to join a misfit crew of unlikely heroes who uncover a dark secret that proves their “golden years” are more dangerous, and they are more formidable, than anyone expects.

Their fight against the clock begins soon. All eight episodes of Season 1 arrive on May 21. Get a special first look at the series in the new photos below. 

The Boroughs is the culmination of Addiss and Matthews’s childhood dreams. “When Jeff was a child, all he did was draw monsters. And when Will was a child, he started planning for his retirement,” the showrunners tell Tudum. “So a show about a group of retirees who fight monsters really plays to both our strengths. The result is an adventure about a group of unlikely heroes that we can’t wait for everyone to fall in love with.” 

The Duffer Brothers were elated when Addiss and Matthews pitched the concept for the show, centered on a group of misfits in their golden years. 

“For years, we’ve wondered why no one has made a film like Ron Howard’s wonderful Cocoon since, well, Cocoon. Then, out of nowhere, Jeff and Will emailed us an idea for The Boroughs: a story about retirees and monsters,” the Duffer Brothers tell Tudum. “They were adamant that — unlike so many stories about older characters — this wouldn’t treat aging as a punchline. Instead, it would treat its characters as real people facing real challenges … along with a few supernatural ones. It was exactly the show we’d been dreaming of.”

The cast includes Alfred Molina (Spider-Man: No Way Home, Three Pines) as Sam, Geena Davis (Thelma & Louise, A League of Their Own) as Renee, Alfre Woodard (Clemency, Salem’s Lot) as Judy, Denis O’Hare (American Horror Story, This Is Us) as Wally, Clarke Peters (The Wire; Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) as Art, and Bill Pullman (The Sinner, Independence Day) as Jack. 

“According to some very unofficial napkin math, our stars bring something like 350 years of craft to The Boroughs,” say Addiss and Matthews. “We knew they would be great. We didn’t expect them to be so fun. They can make you laugh or cry with just a look. Makes it a whole lot easier on us writers.”

“While the characters are a little older than the kids in Stranger Things — they ride golf carts instead of bikes — the spirit is very much the same,” the Duffer Brothers add. “At its core, this is a story about belonging and growing up — no matter your age — filled with adventure, wonder, comedy, scares, and tears. And most importantly, you’re going to fall in love with these characters. Watching legends like Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Clarke Peters, Denis O’Hare, and Bill Pullman bring them to life was genuinely magical. The monsters are very cool — but it’s the characters who will stay with you.”

Sam Cooper (Molina), the aforementioned newcomer, is the heart of our story. “He recently lost his wife, and he’s trying to figure out what to do with the time he has left, which is a question we all face, no matter our age. It’s just the stakes get higher the more years you have under your belt,” Addiss and Matthews explain. “Everyone talks about wanting to make a show that teenagers can watch with their parents. We wanted to make one that teenagers could watch with their parents and their grandparents, that everyone could enjoy.”

The Boroughs brings unexpected heroes together for a shared cause, and that camaraderie was also reflected in the behind-the-scenes work. “From the beginning, we knew we wanted The Boroughs to feel equal parts scary, mysterious, exciting, and emotional,” Addiss and Matthews share. “The challenge was to create a world that could hold all of these different tones at once. Which is why it was so fun to work with the Duffer Brothers — the masters of balancing heart and horror.”

Additional executive producers include Hilary Leavitt, under the Duffers’ Upside Down Pictures production banner, and Ben Taylor (Sex Education, Catastrophe), who will also direct the first two episodes.

The Boroughs premieres May 21 on Netflix.