‘The Madness’ Netflix Limited Series: Everything We Know So Far

Picture courtesy of Netflix

Expanding its slate of thriller series, Netflix has ordered a new political thriller/drama called The Madness. It’s set to be produced by Peter Chernin of The Chernin Group, the company behind Netflix’s Fear Street trilogy, Idris Elba’s Luther, and Jason Momoa-starring Slumberland.

Note: this preview was first published on January 12th, 2023, and has since been updated with new information. It was last updated on February 9th, 2023. 

Stephen Belber and VJ Boyd both serve as co-showrunners on the new series and executive producers.

Netflix’s The Madness will be directed, and executive produced by prominent TV director Clement Virgo, whose credits include Netflix’s 2022 hit Dahmer, Netflix’s The Get Down, the HBO classic The Wire, as well as Billions, Empire, and many more. He will direct episodes 1, 2, 7 and 8.

Picture: Clement Virgo

Also in the director’s chair for The Madness are Quyen Tran and Jessica Lowrey, directing episodes 3 through 6.

Peter Chernin, the Chernin Entertainment production company, and Clement Virgo will produce The Madness. Jenno Topping and Kaitlin Dahill also serve as executive producers.

Chernin Entertainment set a multi-year first-look deal with Netflix in April 2020 and has produced nearly half a dozen released projects thus far with plenty more on the way.

When the project was officially announced on February 8th, Netflix’s Peter Friedlander said:

“The Madness is a fresh take on the conspiracy thriller — turning the genre on its head with its multi-layered characters, propulsive action and swift pace. We are proud to have such a powerhouse team assembled to bring this dynamic story to life for Netflix viewers around the world, and to continue producing great entertainment with team Chernin.”

Here’s everything else we know about Netflix’s The Madness:

What’s the plot of The Madness?

The Madness has been in development for over a year, and various loglines for the series have been released.

The earliest logline for the series was “a political thriller with a Van Jones (CNN)-like character at the center. When he witnesses a murder, he becomes the target of a chase in order to keep some politician’s dark, racial-charged dealings under wraps.”

In late 2022, a more refined (yet similar) project summary was released:

“When a news anchor witnesses a murder, he becomes the target of a chase in order to keep some politician’s dark, racial-charged dealings under wraps.”

Since then, Netflix has provided an updated synopsis:

“In THE MADNESS, media pundit MUNCIE DANIELS (Domingo) must fight for his innocence and his life after he stumbles upon a murder deep in the Poconos woods. As the walls close in, Muncie strives to reconnect with his estranged family – and his lost ideals – in order to survive.”

Who is cast in The Madness?

Colman Domingo – Picture: Getty Images

As of February 2023, one major cast member for The Madness has been revealed, Colman Domingo.

Domingo is a star on the rise, having featured in Zola and Fear The Walking Dead. He’s also worked with Netflix on Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and the upcoming 2023 movie release Rustin.

As mentioned above, Domingo plays the lead role of the media pundit Muncie Daniels.

Reacting to the news of the new series announcement on Instagram, Domingo said, “That’s the message. Let’s Go.”

On Twitter, he added, “I am beyond thrilled. This series is an epic game changing thriller. Let’s Go!”

What’s the production status of The Madness?

As of January 2023, Netflix’s The Madness is in pre-production in Toronto, Canada, and eyeing a March 13 filming start date.

Filming is to take place primarily in Canada and is planned to last until June 27, 2023.

Per the DGC, the series has been in pre-production since January 3rd, 2023.

How many episodes will be in The Madness?

The limited series will be made up of 8 episodes.

What’s the Netflix release date for The Madness?

Netflix hasn’t set a release date for The Madness, but considering its eyed Summer 2023 filming wrap, the limited series should be on the platform sometime in 2024.

Are you excited about The Madness? Let us know in the comments.