Regina Hall Joins Adam Driver in Hostage Thriller RABBIT, RABBIT

Regina Hall has joined Adam Driver in the upcoming Netflix hostage thriller series RABBIT, RABBIT, marking a major casting development for the highly anticipated project. Hall plays Poppy, a retired FBI special agent who becomes entangled in an intense psychological standoff. The series, created by Peter Craig and directed by Philip Barantini, received a straight-to-series order from Netflix after generating significant industry excitement during a competitive auction. Set at a truck stop in southern Illinois, the thriller follows an escaped convict named J-Will who takes hostages to negotiate his freedom, only to find himself caught in an unmanageable social experiment with his captives and a high-stakes psychological poker match with a veteran FBI Crisis Negotiator trained in tactical empathy.

Series Overview

RABBIT, RABBIT is described as being in the vein of classic hostage thrillers like Dog Day Afternoon. The series explores the escalating tension and psychological warfare between the escaped convict and the negotiator, with Hall’s character Poppy serving as the only person matching J-Will’s intellectual and emotional competence. The setting at a remote truck stop creates an isolated environment where the dynamics between captor, captives, and negotiator become increasingly complex and unpredictable.

Main Cast

Regina Hall brings significant star power to the project, coming off her role in the Oscar-nominated film One Battle After Another. She is widely known for her work in the Scary Movie franchise, Girls Trip, Think Like a Man, and The Best Man. Hall’s character Poppy is drawn into the hostage situation as the only negotiator who can match J-Will’s intelligence and emotional complexity.

Adam Driver returns to television after starring in HBO’s acclaimed series Girls from 2012-2017. Since then, he has established himself as a major film star with roles in BlacKkKlansman, House of Gucci, White Noise, Megalopolis, and Ferrari. His involvement as both lead actor and executive producer demonstrates his commitment to the project.

Creative Team

Peter Craig is an accomplished screenwriter known for his work on The Batman, Top Gun: Maverick, and The Town. This marks his first major television project since creating the Apple TV+ series Dope Thief. Philip Barantini has gained recognition for directing acclaimed series including Adolescence and Boiling Point, showcasing his talent for intense, character-driven narratives. Barantini directs and executive produces through his company It’s All Made Up Productions, which has backing from minority investor Avalon, the production company behind Last Week Tonight.

Plot and Themes

The series follows escaped convict J-Will as he becomes cornered by law enforcement at a truck stop and takes hostages to negotiate his freedom. However, the standoff quickly evolves into something far more complex: a psychological battle combining social experimentation with high-stakes negotiation. Poppy, the FBI Crisis Negotiator played by Hall, must navigate J-Will’s intelligence and emotional manipulation while attempting to resolve the hostage situation.

The central theme revolves around “tactical empathy,” a negotiation technique used by experienced FBI agents to understand and anticipate the actions and motivations of others in crisis situations. The series promises to explore the cat-and-mouse dynamic between law enforcement and the perpetrator, with unexpected twists and psychological depth.

Production Details

The project was announced in October 2025 after winning a competitive auction across major streaming platforms. Netflix’s straight-to-series order reflects strong confidence in the material and creative team.

MRC, the production company behind Ozark, produces the series under Craig’s Night Owl Stories banner, which also has a first-look television deal with the studio.

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