Broadchurch meets The Affair: Olivia Colman gets “emotionally troubling” role in psychological drama Cry Wolf

She’s played what might be our favourite detective of all time in Broadchurch, a prim and proper British spinster in Wicked Little Letters, the delightfully evil stepmother in Fleabag - and now, Olivia Colman has a role that might just be her most compelling yet. The Crown star has landed what's set to be an emotionally troubling new part as a social worker in crisis in FX's tense psychological drama, Cry Wolf. With the Broadchurch star playing the lead and The Affair’s Sarah Treem behind the series as creator, we can't think of a better pairing.

Inspired by the hit Danish series, Ulven Kommer, the series revolves around a teenage girl who accuses her mother of abuse, which shocks everyone. Brie Larson plays the mum at the centre of the allegations while Olivia plays the social worker who finds herself caught up in the crisis. The question is, can children – or teens – always be trusted? And how do you find out who’s telling the truth and who’s not?

While we await the arrival of Cry Wolf on our screens, here’s everything you need to know about Olivia Colman's next big drama, including the cast, plot and how to watch it.

What is Cry Wolf about?

Described by broadcaster FX as "a tense psychological family drama", Cry Wolf is inspired by the acclaimed Danish series Ulven Kommer, which was created by Maja Jul Larsen. The new six-part series will follow a social worker (played by Olivia Colman) and a mother (Brie Larson) who are thrust into crisis when the mother’s teenage daughter makes a horrifying allegation of abuse. Both women are pushed to their limits - emotionally and physically - as they navigate the devastating impact of the accusation.

Excitingly, the drama has The Affair co-creator Sarah Treem behind it, with stars Olivia and Brie also serving as executive producers. Olivia has previously worked with FX on the 2023 drama series, Great Expectations, in which she starred, as well as on The Bear, with her guest appearance having earned her an Emmy nomination. With such an esteemed team behind it, let’s just say we’ve got rather high expectations for Cry Wolf.

Who's starring in Cry Wolf?

So far, the cast of Cry Wolf includes:

• Olivia Colman (Broadchurch, The Crown)
• Brie Larson (Room, Lessons in Chemistry)

As we mentioned, Olivia and Brie will also serve as executive producers on the series. We’re expecting more cast members to be announced soon, so watch this space for more details as we have them.

How can I watch Cry Wolf?

Given that the series only went into development by FX in February, we may have a while to wait before it arrives on our screens. In the UK, FX shows usually air on Disney+, so we'd expect to be available to watch on the streamer when it does arrive. As soon as we have a confirmed date and broadcaster, we'll share the full details here.

What else can I watch Olivia Colman in?

Olivia will next appear on our screens in the film, The Roses, which will be released in UK cinemas on Monday 1st September. A reimagining of the 1989 classic film The War of the Roses, Olivia will star alongside Benedict Cumberbatch as one half of the wealthy couple at the heart of the film whose seemingly perfect marriage descends into an increasingly ridiculous divorce battle. You might also be pleased to hear that all three series of Broadchurch are available to stream now on ITVX.