The Chestnut Man Returns: Netflix Sequel Arrives May 2026
Danish thriller 'Hide and Seek' reunites detectives in cat-and-mouse game with a stalker
Netflix is bringing back the Nordic noir with The Chestnut Man: Hide and Seek, a six-part Danish thriller sequel arriving globally on May 7, 2026.
The new series marks the return of the hit 2021 original, which premiered on September 29, 2021 to critical acclaim (7.7/10 on IMDb, 100% on Rotten Tomatoes). Like its predecessor, Hide and Seek is adapted from a novel by acclaimed Danish author Søren Sveistrup, whose work has proven a strong foundation for the franchise.
Set five years after the original series, Hide and Seek opens with a chilling discovery: a missing woman found murdered in Copenhagen. Detectives Mark Hess and Naia Thulin, portrayed by Mikkel Boe Følsgaard and Danica Čurčić respectively, are forced to reunite for the investigation—though their personal relationship has grown more complicated over the years.
Their target is a stalker who taunts victims with a twisted game of hide and seek, accompanied by a haunting nursery rhyme. The psychological cat-and-mouse dynamic between hunters and hunted will drive the six-episode arc, trading on the visceral tension that made the first series a breakout success for Netflix's Nordic thriller slate.
The supporting cast includes Sofie Gråbøl reprising her role as Marie Holst, alongside David Dam Jexent (Emil), Anders Brink Madsen (Michael Holst), Ellaha Lack (Zara Solak), and Ester Birch (Le Thulin). The ensemble will flesh out the Copenhagen investigation as Hess and Thulin navigate their fractured partnership.
Behind the camera, the series is helmed by conceptual director Milad Alami, with writers Dorte Warnøe Høgh and Emilie Lebech Kaae crafting the narrative. Production is handled by SAM Productions, with Morten Kjems Hytten Juhl and Stine Meldgaard Madsen producing.
Netflix teased the project with a first-look reveal and official trailer (released April 9, 2026) showing the detectives' reunion and glimpses of the stalker's psychological games. The marketing campaign has emphasized the darker tone and elevated interpersonal stakes compared to the original.
