The new Treasure Island trailer for Paramount+ turns Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic adventure into a darker, more character-driven voyage. The six-part 2026 series follows Jim Hawkins and his mother, Bess, after they become connected to Captain Flint’s legendary treasure map. From there, the story moves across the Atlantic, aboard the Hispaniola and toward the dangerous mystery of Skeleton Island.
The trailer, released ahead of the UK and Ireland premiere, immediately separates this version from a simple pirate adventure. Its imagery suggests a story about survival, ambition, family, loyalty and the cost of trusting the wrong person.
A New Treasure Island Built Around Jim Hawkins
At the centre of the series is Jim Hawkins, played by Tom Sweet. Playground describes the drama as a coming-of-age thriller that charts Jim’s transformation from a sheltered young man into someone forced to confront violence, deception and difficult choices.
That angle gives the familiar story a useful dramatic foundation. The treasure hunt matters, but the trailer appears more interested in what the journey does to Jim.
His relationship with his mother, Bess Hawkins, also adds a stronger emotional thread. Hayley Atwell plays Bess, a determined figure whose actions help place the family at the centre of the treasure race. Rather than presenting Jim as a boy who simply wanders into a pirate story, the series appears to make his family circumstances part of the central conflict.
David Oyelowo’s Long John Silver Takes the Spotlight
David Oyelowo plays Long John Silver, arguably the most recognizable figure in Stevenson’s story. The trailer presents Silver as more than a traditional pirate villain. He appears charming, calculating and difficult to read, creating the kind of uncertainty that can keep a character-driven adventure moving.
Radio Times notes that the trailer gives viewers a glimpse of Oyelowo’s Silver with the character’s wooden leg and parrot, while the broader story positions Silver at the heart of Jim’s increasingly complicated journey.
That casting choice could give the series a different dramatic rhythm. Silver does not need to dominate every scene to create tension. His presence alone can make questions of loyalty and betrayal feel immediate.
The Treasure Map Changes Everything
The trailer’s central hook remains simple: a map leads to extraordinary wealth, and too many people want it.
Jim and Bess become caught in a race connected to Captain Flint’s treasure, with the voyage eventually heading toward Skeleton Island. The trailer uses ships, storms, weapons and isolated landscapes to build a sense of escalating danger, but the real tension comes from the people surrounding the map.
The story includes Jack Huston as Aaron Graham and Tomer Capone as Billy Bones, while the production also features supporting characters connected to the voyage and its dangerous power struggles.
This gives Treasure Island a broader world than a straightforward hunt for buried gold. Every alliance can carry a price.
The Hispaniola Looks Like a Character of Its Own
One of the most striking images in the trailer is the ship at sea. The dark, storm-battered vessel creates a strong contrast with the quieter scenes on land.
The visual design leans into a colder, more rugged atmosphere. Coastal cliffs, grey water, wooden interiors and night-time sailing scenes give the series a tactile period-adventure feel. The trailer also suggests that the sea will not simply transport the characters from one location to another; it will constantly reinforce their isolation.
The production comes from Playground in association with FIFTH SEASON. Jeremy Lovering, William McGregor and Paul Walker direct the series, with Robert Murphy writing it for television. Those credits place the adaptation in the hands of filmmakers with experience across contemporary British drama and genre television.
Treasure Island Release Date and Where to Watch
Treasure Island premieres on Paramount+ in the UK and Ireland on October 12, 2026. The six-part series will release new episodes weekly. In the United States, MGM+ begins the series on October 11, with Fifth Season handling distribution outside the announced Paramount+ and MGM+ territories.
Why the Trailer Stands Out
The strongest element of the Treasure Island trailer is its atmosphere. It does not depend entirely on spectacle. Instead, it mixes family drama, maritime adventure and moral uncertainty.
The trailer also understands the value of mystery. The treasure remains important, but the larger question is who can be trusted once everyone realizes what the map represents.
The familiar names remain, but the presentation appears more grounded in character conflict and survival.
Final Thought
The Treasure Island official trailer presents a six-part adventure that combines classic pirate mythology with a darker coming-of-age story. Tom Sweet’s Jim Hawkins stands at the centre, while Hayley Atwell’s Bess and David Oyelowo’s Long John Silver give the journey a more complicated emotional and dramatic shape.
With its stormy seas, dangerous alliances and race toward Skeleton Island, the series has the visual ingredients of a substantial period adventure. The real test will come when the full episodes reveal how deeply the adaptation develops its characters beyond the treasure hunt.
For viewers searching for a new pirate adventure series in 2026, Treasure Island arrives on Paramount+ UK and Ireland on October 12 with plenty of questions still buried beneath the surface.
SOURCE: Paramount+, IMDB, Wikipedia, Deadline, Amazon MGM Studios, MGM+
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