Starz Adopts Channel 4 Thriller ‘Maya’
Starz has boarded Channel 4’s newest thriller, 'Maya', starring Daisy Haggard and Bella Ramsey.
At this point, most British TV enthusiasts have probably seen a show or two by Two Brothers Pictures’ Harry and Jack Williams. The two originally hit it big with 2014’s The Missing, which aired on Starz back when it was just a cable channel, and then scored a Masterpiece berth with the follow-up, Baptiste. More recently, the pair have expanded their reach to HBO, Netflix and Amazon’s Prime Video with The Tourist Seasons 1 and 2, and Boat Story. Now the company is back at Starz with its latest series, Maya.
For those who are not huge fans of the Williams brothers’ directing (or their rather one-dimensional take on women), Maya might go over a little better than some of the more recent shows, since they are only executive producers. Maya comes from writer and actor Daisy Haggard, who is the creative force behind and star of the new thriller, alongside fan-favorite Tobias Menzies and future OBE Bella Ramsay, who plays the titular Maya.
“Maya delivers a compelling portrait of a mother fighting to protect her daughter, blended with wit and fierce love,” said Starz’s Kathryn Busby. "We’re also thrilled to reunite with Tobias Menzies, whose iconic portrayal of Outlander’s brutal and sadistic Black Jack Randall may pale next to his latest character’s villainy.”
Here’s the series synopsis:
Maya, the teenage daughter of Anna, is forced into a witness protection programme to escape a life-threatening danger. Anna and Maya leave their London lives behind, taking on new identities and relocating to a small rural town in Scotland. As they try to adjust to their new reality, the trauma of their past continues to haunt them in the form of two hitmen intent on tracking them down. As the walls close in, it becomes clear that a dangerous figure from their past is still a looming threat.
Daisy Haggard and Bella Ramsey in 'Maya' (Starz/Channel 4)
Along with Haggard (Boat Story), Ramsey (The Last of Us), and Menzies (Game of Thrones), the series also boasts an all-star ensemble that includes Harriet Walter (Brian & Maggie), Ben Chaplin (The Dig), Stuart Bowman (Rebus), Tom Courtenay (Unforgotten), Harry Hadden-Paton (Versailles), and Josie Walker (Andor).
Written by Haggard, the series marks her directorial debut, co-directed with Jamie Donoughue (The Last Kingdom); Kenny Tanner is the producer. Haggard and Donoughue also serve as Executive Producers, along with Harry and Jack Williams, Sarah Hammond, Alex Mercer, and Daisy Mount for Two Brothers Pictures.
Maya debuted at the London Screenings in February 2026. It does not yet have a release date on either side of the pond, but it is expected to debut on Channel 4 before the end of 2026, and will follow on Starz in the U.S.
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