Josh Hartnett battles a sea creature in Netflix‘s forthcoming limited series, “Below.” The six-episode horror/thriller, created by Jesse McKeown (“The Umbrella Academy”), tells the Newfoundland tale of fisherman Calvin Penney (Hartnett) when he encounters an underwater monster and shines a light on his fight for survival.
McKeown pulls from classic works by directors such as John Carpenter for his beastly island piece, as well as the real-life horrors fishermen have faced since the dawn of time. “Folks here have been dealing with unexplained phenomena and tragic events for hundreds of years,” he told Entertainment Weekly of setting the story in Newfoundland. “Killer storms. Maritime disasters. The collapse of the cod fishery. People going hungry. Surviving the winter here can be a horror movie in and of itself.”
It’s “these strange events” that feed into a “long history of unimaginable difficulties,” he added. In the official first teaser, fans get a first glimpse into what “Below” has in store.
First ‘Below’ Teaser
“I spent my whole life on the water,” Hartnett’s Calvin Penney begins the clip. But that doesn’t prepare him for what’s to come. The teaser invites the viewer into Calvin’s world of family and work before chaos breaks loose when a large sea animal is spotted just below the water’s surface.
Based on the clip, Hartnett brings a sense of urgency to the story, something he pulls directly from his life. The series “tapped directly into a feeling I’ve been having, that I’m sure is not unique, that the powers that determine our lives are so far removed from us as people that it’s hard to even imagine being able to affect meaningful change for ourselves and the people we love,” he also shared with Entertainment Weekly.
The story ultimately feels a bit like “wish fulfillment,” he added, stating how terrifyingly strange occurrences lead to the townsfolk banding together to overcome the evil.
The cast of “Below” also includes “Stranger Things” actor Charlie Heaton, “Halloween Ends” star Rohan Campbell, Mackenzie Davis, Natasha Henstridge and Joshua Close.
The series arrives on Netflix on October 8, 2026.
Josh Hartnett Continues His Horror Reign
While the actor appeared in Showtime’s “Penny Dreadful” for two years (2014-2016), it wasn’t until 2023 that he made a big mainstream comeback. He starred in Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” and the much-lauded “Beyond the Sea” episode of “Black Mirror.”
These roles primed long-time fans for his central role in M. Night Shyamalan’s horror/thriller “Trap,” in which he played family-man-turned-serial-killer Cooper Abbott. Hartnett also landed three episodes of the popular drama/comedy “The Bear.” Later this year, he’s set to star in Michael Showalter’s psychological thriller “Verity,” alongside Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Ismael Cruz Córdova.
Hartnett’s other recent acting credits include “Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre,” co-starring Aubrey Plaza, Cary Elwes and Hugh Grant, and “Fight or Flight.” Writer/director Oliver Stone’s new film, “White Lies,” is currently in post-production and also stars Leila George, Ellen Barkin, Willem Dafoe and Michael Douglas.
