One part The Hunger Games, one part The Wilds, the latest could-be hit series from Amazon is Panic. Based on the 2015 novel by author Lauren Oliver, the story revolves around high school seniors competing to win enough money to escape their hometown. Set in the fictional town of Carp, located in the middle of nowhere, these summer games may seem like a ticket out... if they don't kill you first. Let's discuss everything you need to know about Amazon's Panic including the release date, cast, and more.
The original novel focused on two competitors, Heather and Dodge. Dodge had always planned to compete in the games. On the other hand, Heather is a last-minute challenger who assumed she would simply live out her life in her town. The two of them find themselves against people they consider friends, like Heather's BFF Natalie, as well as foes like Ray.
Amazon greenlit the adaptation as part of a set of YA shows back in 2019, alongside runaway 2020 hit The Wilds. This series is particularly notable because the author, Oliver, adapted her own work to the screen version as the project's creator, writer, and executive producer.
Here's what else to know:
Amazon released the trailer for the series on May 12, 2021. In it, fans meet Heather Nill (Olivia Welch), who recounts her experience as a bedtime story. Even though Panic certainly feels somewhat Hunger Games-esque in its challenges, one can only hope Heather being the series' narrator is proof fans can root for her survival.
As noted above, Olivia Welch plays Heather Nill, the series' main protagonist. Fans will probably recognize Welch as Olive from Modern Family. Mike Faist plays Dodge. Faist might be recognizable from the West Side Story trailer, in which he stars as Jets gang leader Riff.
Heather's BFF Natalie is played by Godless' Jessica Sula, while Mayans M.C. Ray Nicholson plays the dangerous competitor Ray and The Purge's Camron Jones is Bishop Moore. Bloodline's Enrique Murciano rounds out the cast as the adult authority figure of Sheriff James "Jimmy" Cortez.
The synopsis (along with the fact that author Oliver is the show's writer) almost guarantees the series will stick closely to the original novel.
Panic takes place in a small Texas town, where every summer the graduating seniors compete in a series of challenges, winner takes all, which they believe is their one and only chance to escape their circumstances and make their lives better. But this year, the rules have changed — the pot of money is larger than ever and the game has become even more dangerous. The players will come face to face with their deepest, darkest fears and be forced to decide how much they are willing to risk in order to win.
Fans don't need to panic that Panic will be a long wait. The new series debuts soon. All 10 episodes drop on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, May 28, 2021.
