Bodies Netflix Limited Series: October 2023 Release & Everything We Know

Coming to Netflix globally in October 2023 is a thrilling epic crime series called Bodies, an adaptation of the 2015 graphic novel of the same name by Si Spencer. Bodies tells the story of four detectives in four different London eras who find themselves investigating the same murder, uncovering a conspiracy that spans 150 years.

Created by No Offence and Torchwood writer Paul Tomalin, Netflix’s Bodies will be an eight-part limited series and its episodes will be directed by Marco Kreutzpaintner (Beat, Extinction, Soulmates) and Haolu Wang (Doctor Who, The Pregnant Ground, Lao Wai). The scripts for Bodies will be written by Tomalin and Danusia Samal (Gangs of London).

Tomalin is also exec producing with Kreutzpaintner and Moonage Founders Will Gould and Frith Tiplady. The series producer is Susie Liggat who worked on the BBC-Netflix co-production, Giri/Haji.

Up until the series for officially announced, the series was known as “Project IV” which we first reported back in November 2021 (with a subsequent update in January 2022).

Before we dive into the new series, here’s your first look at the teaser trailer:

Here’s everything else we know about Netflix’s Bodies:

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What’s the plot of Bodies?

As mentioned, Netflix’s Bodies will be based on the 2015 graphic novel of the same name by author Si Spencer and illustrators Dean Ormston, Phil Winslade, Tula Lotay, Meghan Hetrick and Lee Loughridge.

Here’s the logline for Netflix’s Bodies from Deadline:

Four different detectives are trying to solve the murder in different time periods: 1890s overachiever Edmond Hillinghead, dashing 1940s adventurer Karl Whiteman, kickass female 2010s Detective Sergeant Shahara Hasan and Maplewood, an amnesiac from post-apocalyptic 2050, who brings a haunting perspective. Together, the four set out to uncover a conspiracy spanning 150 years.

Amazon, in turn, gives a more detailed description for the graphic novel and the stories:

LONDON, 1890. As Jack the Ripper stalks the streets, Inspector Edmond Hillinghead-the city’s most diligent detective-applies his skills to an even harder case. The victim is an unidentified male. The killer may have powerful allies. And Edmond’s darkest secret may be exposed if he gets too close to the truth….

LONDON, 1940. As the Blitz rains bombs down on the city, Inspector Charles Whiteman reigns over its streets. He escaped the Nazis in Poland only to run the very rackets he’s supposed to shut down. But when he discovers a mysterious murder victim, his double life may be destroyed…

LONDON, 2014. As racist rioters wreak havoc in the name of their prejudiced patriotism, Detective Sergeant Shahara Hasan leads the fight against them. As a Muslim cop, she’s English to the core. But the corpse she’s uncovered may reveal something rotten deep below the surface…

LONDON, 2050. As the mind-scrambling pulsewave plagues the last survivors of a terrifying techno-apocalypse, the amnesiac young woman known only as Maplewood can barely understand the body she’s discovered. But this ritual killing is identical to those from decades past-and the link between them all is stronger, and stranger, than anyone could dream…

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Who is cast in Netflix’s Bodies?

In July 2022, the cast for Bodies was revealed with some recognizable names from previous Netflix productions and other well-known properties.

Stephen Graham (best known for Snatch, Peaky Blinders and Netflix’s The Irishman) will be playing Elias Mannix described as the “central character to the story”.

Shira Haas (featured in Netflix’s Unorthodox) will be playing investigating officer DC Maplewood.

Jacob Fortune-Lloyd (Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit) will be playing DS Whiteman.

Amaka Okafor (who will feature in Netflix’s The Sandman) will play DS Hasan.

Kyle Soller (known for Anna Karenina) will play DI Hillinghead

Further cast members have also been revealed for the series;

• Tom Mothersdale as Gabriel Defoe
• Michael Jibson as DCI Jack Barber
• Gabriel Howell as Young Elias Mannix
• Derek Riddel as Calloway
• Emily Barber as Kathleen
• Anna Calder-Marshall as Lady Agatha Harker
• Will Merrick as PC Byrne
• Michael Shaeffer as CI Hayden
• Silvana Damnn as Svetlana Kabliska
• George Parker as Henry Ashe
• Alfe Tempest as Sam
• Ellie James as Teri
• Zachary Hart as Lee Cozens
• Jordan Baker as June
• Neil Swift as Captain Drake

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What’s the production status of Bodies?

Netflix’s Bodies began filming in the middle of May 2022 and is set to film until November 10th, 2022. Some reports suggest the show could be concluded as soon as September 2022, however.

Marco Kreuzpaintner posted on Instagram on May 18th that filming was on day 3.

It’s being filmed throughout the United Kingdom in several big cities including Hull, Leeds, Grimsby, Bradford and Rotherham.

The Yorkshire Post covered in late June 2022 that Hull had been transformed into the 1940s. They state:

“Hull Old Town has portrayed Victorian London on screen before as it is home to numerous listed buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries, when merchants who made their fortune from the port built grand residences, warehouses and offices. Netflix also filmed Enola Holmes there.Read more: Hull Old Town

Monday’s shoot appeared to focus on the 1940s, with windows taped up to protect against bomb blasts and headlines on newspaper boards relating to World War Two.”

The production for the limited series was originally set to get underway in April 2022 according to production listings for the working title of Project IV.

High Street this morning. With some of the buildings still showing signs of the Netflix Bodies filmset which they completed filming last week.#hull #yorkshire #travel #architecture #mustbehull #netflix #filmset pic.twitter.com/fooZdnnSPy

— Hull Images (@HullImages) July 3, 2022

How exciting to see even more filming taking place for another major drama – Netflix's "Bodies." Hull's Old Town is definitely the place to be seen! #MustBeHull #LoveHull #HighStreet pic.twitter.com/Pm4nHSLQYI

— Paul Schofield (@hulltourguide) June 19, 2022

Filming came to an end earlier than what was scheduled, roughly around October 20th, 2022. Marco Kreuzpaintner revealed on his Instagram on October 21st that he was on his way to the wrap party to celebrate the end of filming of Bodies.

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How many episodes will be in Bodies?

It has been confirmed that Netflix’s Bodies will feature eight one-hour-long episodes.

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What’s the Netflix release date for Bodies?

All episodes of Bodies will arrive on Netflix globally on October 19th, 2023.

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Are you going to be watching Bodies on Netflix? Let us know in the comments below!