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Hulu's The Hardy Boys Reboot Trailer Is Dark & Gritty
Hulu released the first trailer for its upcoming television adaptation The Hardy Boys, based on the iconic book series of the same name. Published under the pen name Franklin W. Dixon, The Hardy Boys books follow brothers Frank and Joe Hardy as they act as amateur detectives uncovering mysteries in their hometown. The series has been in publication since 1927 and has gone through many iterations and changes since. Previously, The Hardy Boys have made it to screens five separate times, including Disney adaptations and Nancy Drew crossovers.
According to the new trailer, Hulu’s adaptation will be a darker take on the iconic stories. Although the books deal with mature themes—murder, drugs, and espionage included—the overall tone of the novels is inspirational, leaving the characters and readers with lessons to learn. The trailer, on the other hand, shows a world filled with invisible threats. The brothers are unexpectedly forced to move to Bridgeport, a small middle-America town, where they begin to unravel a dark mystery that includes their absent mother.
The show’s 13 episodes will premiere on Hulu on December 4. The Hardy Boys stars Rohan Campbell and Alexander Elliot as Frank, 16, and Joe, 12, in both of the actors’ first major roles. Their father, Fenton, is played by Big Little Lies’ James Tupper. The show’s creator and executive producer is Jason Stone, an alum of Riverdale and This Is The End.
Following in the footsteps of many recent page-to-screen adaptations, The Hardy Boys will be a grittier, real-world version of the original stories. Although it doesn’t appear to focus on relationships and love—which is something the book series also avoids—it will certainly mimic some of the darkness of current teen dramas. The trailer echoes TV shows such as the newer CW Nancy Drew series as well as Riverdale. With Stone having previously directed two episodes of the latter show, his time there will clearly have an impact on Hulu’s The Hardy Boys.
