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Netflix's East of Eden series is officially coming in October 2026, and the streamer has finally released the East of Eden trailer after a surprise first look at the poster — with Florence Pugh front and center. There's been a ton of chatter around the series since it was first announced, especially since the cast includes Flo (We Live in Time, Thunderbolts*), Joseph Zada (Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, We Were Liars), and Mike Faist (Challengers, West Side Story), just to name a few! This is one 2026 show you simply can't miss.
Here's the latest update on Netflix's East of Eden 2026 show — and check out some other classic books to read while you wait for the show to drop.
The Netflix 'East of Eden' trailer is a shocking new look at Florence Pugh.
The new East of Eden trailer definitely gives us a better indication of what to expect from the series. It's gritty, dark, and probably a little mature, considering a look at a totally-bloody Cathy (Florence Pugh). Period dramas are one of the best genres for intrigue and mystery, especially when it's a fall TV show. It's like a win-win!
And Netflix is taking a new approach to the show.
Netflix
Netflix's official show synopsis says that "this modern interpretation of Steinbeck's masterpiece will explore the multigenerational saga of the Trask family, focusing new attention on its indelible antihero, Cathy Ames."
Now, don't worry — I think "modern interpretation" just means a new perspective on the story, not that the characters will live in 2026. It looks like the show will still be set in the same time period. “The thing that was really important to me was to stay rooted in the text of the book when it came to exploring who Cathy is,” Zoe Kazan tells Tudum. “Basically everything that’s in the series has at least a root in the book.”
It sounds like they'll be diving even deeper into Cathy's character to better understand her motives, and I have no doubt this show will influence an entire generation. After all, Florence Pugh was the actress who made me actually like Amy March in her Oscar-nominated role for Greta Gerwig's 2019 Little Women...and I thought that was impossible. Never say never I guess.
Where can I watch East of Eden?
Netflix
Watch East of Eden on Netflix October 1.
What is the story East of Eden all about?
Netflix
The story follows the Trask family from the end of the Civil War in the 1860s to the beginning of World War I in 1914, including Cyrus (Tracy Letts), his sons Adam (Christopher Abbott) and Charles (Mike Faist), and Adam’s sons Aron (Joe Anders) and Cal (Joseph Zada).
Zoe Kazan was able to get an unusually intimate look into East of Eden author John Steinbeck's thought process while writing the story thanks to his journal. “On the right-hand side of the journal, he would write his pages for the day of the book, and then on the left-hand side, he would write letters to his editor," she says. “You can sort of see where his intentions were. He said very early in his writing process, ‘It will actually be two books, the story of my country and the story of me.’ It needs to be epic and intimate.”
Who's in the East of Eden cast with Florence Pugh?
Netflix
The East of Eden cast includes
- Florence Pugh as Cathy Ames
- Christopher Abbott as Adam Trask
- Mike Faist as Charles Trask
- Hoon Lee as Lee
- Tracy Letts as Cyrus Trask
- Martha Plimpton as Faye
- Ciarán Hinds as Samuel Hamilton
- Joseph Zada as Cal Trask
- Joe Anders as Aron Trask
How many episodes are in East of Eden?
Netflix
The show will be a limited series with seven episodes total.
- Genesis
- Cathy
- In the Valley
- Kate
- Departure
- The Great Try
- East of Eden
What is the famous line from East of Eden?
Netflix
One of the most iconic details from East of Eden is the concept of Timshel, which is the idea that humans have the free will to choose between good and evil, rather than being completely good or completely evil from birth.
And considering the trailer features Cathy as the narrator telling us that “there are monsters born in this world to human parents...to a monster, the norm must seem monstrous," it seems like the show will take on that idea as well.
Where was East of Eden filmed?
Netflix
The show was filmed around New Zealand throughout 2025.
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This post has been updated.
