Netflix’s upcoming adaptation of the Norwegian series Twin, retitled THE UNDERTOW, promises to deliver the kind of delicious psychological thriller that has audiences on the edge of their seats. The concept alone—identical twins, hidden identities, and the question of which brother is really dead—taps into a rich tradition of twin narratives that have captivated viewers for decades. With Jamie Dornan taking on the dual role of brothers Adam and Lee, the streamer is banking on the kind of complicated, morally gray character work that made him unforgettable in FIFTY SHADES OF GREY, only this time with considerably higher stakes and far more intrigue.
The series follows Nicola, a woman trapped in a loveless marriage to Adam, whose arrival is upended when Lee—Adam’s long-estranged identical twin—suddenly reappears in her life. The complication that elevates this premise from standard thriller fare is that Nicola and Lee share a romantic history, a detail that simmers beneath the surface and threatens to ignite the entire narrative. When a split-second accident kills Adam, Nicola faces an impossible choice, and the one she makes with Lee sets off a chain reaction that unspools across a single, breathless week. Together, they decide to manipulate the investigation by falsifying which twin actually died, betting that authorities will assume the carefree Lee is the victim while the more reserved Adam lived. What unfolds is equal parts messy and tense—a high-wire act of deception where the emotional boundaries between Nicola and Lee blur dangerously as their buried feelings resurface amid the chaos of maintaining their lie.
Dornan carries the series as both brothers, a demanding dual performance that requires him to embody two distinct personalities while suggesting the psychological and emotional toll of his character’s descent into deception. Mackenzie Davis plays Nicola with what promises to be a nuanced intensity, anchoring the narrative as the woman who becomes the linchpin of the conspiracy. Supporting players including Iain de Caestecker as Marty Munro and Gary Lewis round out an ensemble that feels distinctly Scottish and wonderfully noir in its sensibilities, lending the production a moody, atmospheric quality that complements its dark subject matter.
As for when viewers can actually watch this unhinged identity swap unfold, THE UNDERTOW is slated for a 2026 release on Netflix, having shifted from its originally planned 2025 UK slate. Filming wrapped in 2024 after production across the Scottish Highlands, Sutherland, and the Isle of Mull, so the project has been in post-production for some time, allowing the streamer to fine-tune what could be one of its most compelling crime dramas in years.