Filming for The God of the Woods, the new Netflix mystery series starring Maya Hawke, is entering its final stretch after approximately three months of production. The series, consisting of eight episodes, adapts the hit 2024 novel by Liz Moore about the disappearance of a thirteen-year-old girl at a summer camp for wealthy families.
Hawke, known for her role in Stranger Things, leads the cast as Judy Luptack, a young investigator tasked with solving the case of the missing Barbara Van Laar. Joining her is Kerry Condon, recently seen in Train Dreams and F1, in the role of Alice Van Laar, the mother of the missing girl.
Filming began on June 12, 2026, in various locations across upstate New York, including the Hudson River Valley and the Adirondack Mountains. By late September, production began to wrap, and filming is expected to conclude entirely this month, as confirmed by several cast members via social media.
What is The God of the Woods about?
The God of the Woods combines mystery and crime with a dysfunctional family drama. The plot unfolds in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York, where the wealthy Van Laar family controls much of the territory and runs a summer camp known as Camp Emerson.
During the summer of 1975, thirteen-year-old Barbara Van Laar disappears without a trace or apparent motive. The investigation falls to detective Judy Luptack and local authorities, who soon discover that the case bears a disturbing similarity to another disappearance that occurred more than a decade earlier within the same family.
The story uses a cross-timeline narrative spanning several decades, set between the 1950s, 1960s, and 1975. Liz Moore's original novel was a commercial success, considered one of the best works of crime fiction of 2024 and featured on The New York Times bestseller list.
The production is handled by Sony Pictures Television, with Liz Moore—the book's author—and Liz Hannah (The Girl from Plainville, Mindhunter) serving as showrunners. Both have expressed their enthusiasm for bringing the story to the screen alongside Sony and Netflix, stating their desire for the audience to grow fond of, and also loathe, these characters just as much as they have.
Full cast of The God of the Woods
Netflix has confirmed an extensive ensemble cast for the series. These are the characters and performers revealed so far.
Main cast
Maya Hawke (Stranger Things) plays Judy Luptack, the investigator leading the case. Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin) plays Alice Van Laar, the mother of the missing girl. Nell Fisher (Stranger Things) portrays Barbara Van Laar herself, the young girl who disappears from her cabin at the camp in 1975.
Benjamin Walker (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) plays Peter Van Laar III, the imposing heir to the family fortune, while Tracy Letts (A House of Dynamite) plays Peter Van Laar II, his father, an apparently kind man who might be hiding secrets.
Damon Gupton (Bates Motel) plays Denny Hayes, a captain with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation who works alongside Judy Luptack. Ella Rubin (Sterling Point) plays Louise Donnadieu, a camp counselor and the first to notice Barbara's disappearance.
Rounding out the core cast are Susannah Perkins (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) as T.J. Hewitt, director of Camp Emerson; Autumn Molina (A Really Haunted Loud House) as camper Tracy Jewell; John Gallagher Jr. (10 Cloverfield Lane) as Jacob Sluiter, a convicted murderer recently escaped from prison and one of the first suspects; Lola Kirke (Sinners) as Delphine Barlow, Alice's recently widowed older sister; and Colton Ryan (The Girl From Plainville) as John Paul McClellan Jr., closely linked to the camp.
Additional cast
The cast is completed by Camila Cano-Flavia (Three Women) as Donna Romano, Tristan Leander Green (The Bard) as Lee Towson, Cliff Chamberlain (The Rip) as Carl Stoddard, and Romy Fay (The Chosen Adventures) as Michelle, one of the eight campers present in the cabin when Barbara's disappearance is discovered.
Also part of the cast are Kai James as Christopher, a member of a survival team who proves key to the investigation; Dannie McCallum (Echo) as Jeannie Clute; Brooklyn Shuck (Evil) as Annabel; and Lynden Miles Ley (Birth/Rebirth) as Bear Van Laar.
The cast is completed by Andrew Polk (Daredevil) as Clovis Goldman, Chris Henry Coffey (The Madness) as Sergeant Jimmy Dagle, Joseph Adams (Zero Day) as Vic Hewitt, and David Furr (The Gilded Age) as John Paul McLellan Sr.
Directing team of The God of the Woods
The series has split its eight episodes among four directors. Cory Finley (Thoroughbreds, Bad Education) directs episodes 1 and 2, while Quyen Tran (Palm Springs, The Pitt) handles episodes 3 and 4.
Showrunner Liz Hannah herself directs episodes 5 and 6, and Meera Menon (Equity) closes the season with episodes 7 and 8.
When does The God of the Woods premiere on Netflix?
Netflix has not yet announced an official release date for The God of the Woods. With filming concluding this month and considering that a production of this type usually requires about six months of post-production, it would be reasonable to expect the series to arrive on the platform during the spring or summer of 2027, although this date has not been confirmed by Netflix.
Frequently asked questions about The God of the Woods
Who stars in The God of the Woods?
Maya Hawke stars in the series as detective Judy Luptack, accompanied by Kerry Condon in the role of Alice Van Laar, mother of the missing teenager.
What is the story of The God of the Woods about?
The plot revolves around the disappearance of Barbara Van Laar, a thirteen-year-old camper, at Camp Emerson in 1975, and how this investigation uncovers family secrets and a similar case that occurred years earlier.
Which book is The God of the Woods based on?
The series adapts the novel of the same name by Liz Moore published in 2024, a bestseller included on The New York Times bestseller list.
How many episodes will The God of the Woods have?
The series will consist of eight episodes, directed by Cory Finley, Quyen Tran, Liz Hannah, and Meera Menon.
When will The God of the Woods premiere on Netflix?
Netflix has not yet confirmed a release date. Considering that filming concludes this month, it is estimated that the series could arrive on the platform in the spring or summer of 2027, although this is not official information.
