Oh, Those Kids: 'From' Season 4 Over a Year Away — But This New King Series Already Called the Perfect Replacement
The King of Horror keeps exploring unexpected genres.
Fans of From know that the scariest thing about the series isn’t the monsters — it’s the unknown. What is this town? Why is no one able to leave? Who’s watching them? While Season 4 won’t arrive until next year at the earliest, MGM+ is offering a temporary — but very worthy — substitute: The Institute, an adaptation of Stephen King’s novel.
At first glance, the two series don’t have much in common. One follows children with paranormal abilities trapped in a top-secret facility. The other features adults stuck in a nightmare town filled with terrifying creatures. But the atmosphere? Strikingly similar.
Isolation, cryptic rules, and the sense that something unnatural (and deeply dangerous) lurks around every corner. In both shows, the characters aren’t just trying to survive — they’re confronting questions about the nature of evil, power, and human morality.
The Institute follows the rules of 'late-period' King: the children aren’t victims, they’re carriers of destructive force; the adults aren’t saviors, but the source of the threat. As with From, it’s not just the horror that matters — it’s how ordinary people transform under the weight of fear and uncertainty.
A strong cast (Ben Barnes, Mary-Louise Parker), experienced directors (from Lost and Mr. Mercedes), and King’s signature sense of dread — according to Western critics, The Institute might be the perfect 'while-you-wait' series for From fans. Or maybe something more? We’ll find out on July 13.
