🌲Wayward (2025): Secrets Run Deep in Tall Pines – Cast, Plot, Trailer & Release Info

🌲 Wayward (2025): Secrets Run Deep in Tall Pines “Welcome to Tall Pines. We think you’ll be very happy here...”

But happiness in Tall Pines is only surface-level. Behind the fresh mountain air and the calm smiles lies a chilling truth. Wayward, the upcoming thriller miniseries from Netflix, is set to premiere September 25, 2025, and it’s already promising to be one of the most haunting releases of the year.

🔍 Plot: Troubled Teens, Twisted Secrets

When two students manage to escape from a so-called “academy for troubled teens,” they quickly realize their small mountain town harbors much darker secrets than the school itself. They join forces with a recently relocated police officer—played by Mae Martin—who begins to suspect something deeply sinister is rooted in the heart of Tall Pines.

As they investigate the academy's charismatic founder and the eerie behavior of the town’s leaders, the trio is pulled deeper into a web of manipulation, cover-ups, and psychological control. Wayward is not just about troubled teens—it’s about the system that defines them, exploits them, and tries to silence them.

“They say this place is for healing. But the only thing it’s ever healed... is their conscience.” – Alex Dempsey

🌑 A Cast That Commands the Shadows

• Mae Martin as Alex Dempsey, the skeptical small-town officer with a dark past of their own

• Toni Collette as Evelyn Wade, the enigmatic and possibly dangerous founder of the academy

• Sarah Gadon as Laura Redman, whose loyalties remain unclear

• Sydney Topliffe and Alyvia Alyn Lind as the teens who fight for their freedom

• Brandon Jay McLaren, Patrick J. Adams, Patrick Gallagher, and Gage Munroe round out the stellar ensemble

With Toni Collette in a pivotal, ominous role and Mae Martin both leading and co-creating, this show promises grounded performances, psychological tension, and emotional truth.

🔦 Themes: Control, Trauma, and Truth

Wayward dives into the unsettling world of the troubled teen industry, where vulnerable youth are isolated, “corrected,” and often forgotten. It explores how a small-town image can become a mask for institutional abuse, and how courage can come from the most unexpected alliances.

This isn't just a mystery. It’s a confrontation of power structures, emotional manipulation, and the cost of silence.

“What if the place that’s supposed to save you… is the one that breaks you?”

🎬 Behind the Scenes

Created by Mae Martin, the miniseries is executive produced by a powerful team including Ryan Scott, Ben Farrell, Jennifer Kawaja, and Bruno Dubé, with production handled by Objective Fiction and Sphere Media. With Euros Lyn directing, known for his atmospheric work, viewers can expect a series rich in visual mood and slow-burning suspense.

📺 Where to Watch

Wayward premieres September 25, 2025, exclusively on Netflix. It’s a limited series, so prepare to binge—because once you step into Tall Pines, you won’t want to leave until every secret is uncovered.

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