Stephen Graham said he is "in talks" to develop a follow-up to the Netflix drama Adolescence after the series’ recent Emmy success, but he ruled out continuing the story of the Miller family that sat at the centre of the four-part drama.
The series collected multiple Emmy awards, including recognition for best limited series and prizes for writing, directing and acting, and earlier in the month it won Creative Arts Emmys for casting and cinematography. Owen Cooper, who played schoolboy Jamie Miller, became one of the youngest male Emmy winners at 15.
Graham, who created and starred in the series as Eddie Miller, said discussions are under way about finding "another story" that would employ the same format — notably the show's single-take approach — but that "this family is finished." He told the Daily Mail the production would not revisit the Miller family, meaning Cooper and Christine Tremarco, who played the children’s mother Manda, would not return.
Graham said his production company, Matriarch Productions, which he runs with his wife Hannah Walters, will lead the new project and that they would again partner with Brad Pitt’s Plan B. He left open the possibility that other characters from Adolescence could reappear and specifically highlighted Ashley Walters, who portrayed Detective Inspector Luke Bascombe, as a performer he would like to work with again.
"Ashley is one of our finest actors," Graham said, praising Walters’ performance and the "gravity" he brought to the role. He described the follow-up as "the same concept with the idea of doing something in one take," while declining to provide details as talks continue.
Adolescence drew attention for its technical ambition and its themes. Filmed when Cooper was 14, each episode was shot as a continuous single take and the drama examined the fallout of a schoolboy accused of murdering a classmate, exploring family breakdown and wider conversations about young men and online communities sometimes described as the "manosphere." Erin Doherty featured as child psychologist Briony Ariston alongside Graham and Cooper.
Graham reflected on the Emmy haul as both humbling and validating, saying the awards reinforced his belief in collaborative work and the value of the show's creative approach. He spoke about his upbringing and the perspective it gave him, saying success underscored the importance of treating collaborators as equals and creating environments that bring out the best in performers.
With production partners in place and an interest in preserving the distinctive single-take format, Graham and his team have begun preliminary discussions about the next installment. No broadcaster, commissioning timeline or cast list has been confirmed, and Graham said he and his collaborators were "tight-lipped" while they explore story options.