Prepare for a missing persons thriller like you’ve never seen before. Netflix has released the first trailer for “Eric,” its upcoming Benedict Cumberbatch drama that revolves around a father using his son’s imaginary friend to find his missing child.
The upcoming series comes from Abi Morgan, who’s best known for her television work on “Sex Traffic” and “The Hour” as well as her film work on “The Iron Lady,” “Shame” and “Suffragette.” Set in the 1980s, the emotional thriller follows a desperate father (Cumberbatch) and mother (Gaby Hoffmann) whose lives are thrown into chaos when their nine-year-old son disappears.
“They’re saying that if he were alive you would have found him by now,” Hoffmann’s Cassie says in the trailer.
“You have to trust me,” Detective Michael Ledroit (McKinley Belcher III) responds.
At his wits end, Vincent turns to the only outlet he has: his job as a puppeteer on the hugely popular children’s television show, “Good Day Sunshine.” Using the missing Edgar’s drawing of his imaginary friend, Vincent starts to create a blue monster puppet named Eric.
“I’m working on a new puppet,” Vincent tells his wife in the trailer. “If we can get him on the show, then Edgar will see him. He’ll know how much we want him to come home.”
“Are you crazy?” Cassie asks in disbelief.
As his increasingly erratic behavior starts to distance Vincent from his family, friends, colleagues and the detectives trying to help him, Eric becomes more and more real to the grieving father. Watch the full trailer above.
The six-episode limited series will debut on Netflix on May 30. In addition to Cumberbatch, Hoffmann and Belcher, the series also stars Dan Fogler and Clarke Peters.
Morgan and Cumberbatch executive produce the series alongside Jane Featherstone, Lucy Dyke and Lucy Forbes. Holly Pullinger also produces, and Lucy Forbes directs. The series was made for Netflix by the production company SISTER.
