Maya Hawke, known for her role as Robin Buckley in the Netflix series Stranger Things, will lead the cast of the streaming service’s upcoming drama, The God of the Woods, based on the bestselling novel by Liz Moore. The announcement, made Tuesday, confirms Hawke’s continued relationship with Netflix following the conclusion of Stranger Things in late 2025.
The series, picked up by Netflix in December, is a multi-generational drama set in the Adirondacks, according to a logline provided by Netflix. It centers on the Van Laar family and explores their “dark secrets, class tensions and the mysteries surrounding the disappearance of 13-year-old Barbara Van Laar from her family’s summer camp—in the wake of an earlier family tragedy that may be related.” The narrative will follow the unraveling of the Van Laars’ wealth and influence, exposing the consequences of privilege and abuse of power.
Hawke will portray Judy Luptack, described as a “smart and quietly determined” investigator. Luptack is the first woman assigned to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and tasked with solving the disappearance of Barbara Van Laar from a summer camp in upstate New York.
The God of the Woods will be co-written and co-showrun by Liz Hannah (The Girl from Plainville, Mindhunter) and Liz Moore, who also authored the source novel. Hannah and Moore will also serve as executive producers, alongside Neal H. Moritz and Pavun Shetty for Original Film. Sony Pictures Television is the studio behind the production.
Hawke’s recent work includes a role in the animated film Inside Out 2, as well as the Ethan Hawke-directed Wildcat. She is also slated to appear in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. Prior to Stranger Things, Hawke appeared in the 2017 BBC adaptation of Little Women and had a role in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood.
Hawke is represented by CAA, Untitled Entertainment, and Hansen Jacobson.