The Undeclared War Release Date, Cast, And More

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Peter Kosminsky is back with a thriller drama series titled "The Undeclared War," which chronicles a fictional take on the events that might ensue in the near future, within the context of an escalating cyberwar between Russia and the United Kingdom. Set in 2024, the series focuses on a team of cyber analysts at the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) who offer their individual inputs in the midst of a string of cyberattacks on the UK.

Prior to "The Undeclared War," Kosminsky has worked on an array of genres, including an adaptation of "Wuthering Heights," which debuted Ralph Fiennes in the role of Heathcliff. Kosminsky has also worked on factual dramas such as "The Government Inspector," based on the life of scientist David Kelly and the lead-up to the Iraq dossier row, and Kelly's subsequent death.

A new trailer for "The Undeclared War" has been released, which you can check out below.

The six-episode series starts with Saara (Hannah Khalique-Brown) getting an internship at the GCHQ, which indicates a promising start for her career. However, she soon finds herself in deep waters when the organization undergoes a series of cyberattacks, leading to the need to either plan a firm, strategic response, or figure out a way to stop the situation from escalating further. Matters soon turn delicate and out of hand when rallies break out, endangering the lives of countless people and creating a tense sociopolitical situation in the UK.

The trailer for "The Undeclared War" hints that a lot of hidden agendas are at play when it concerns the immediate situation, and the truth is not as clear-cut as it seems to be. On the one hand, the looming elections pose the threat of impending unrest, which prompts the prime minister to declare a state of emergency. On the other, Saara and the rest of her team have to deal with the situations as they unravel while considering the repercussions of each step they take, as the consequences are far-reaching.

Check out the official synopsis:

"Set in a post-pandemic 2024 in the run-up to a British general election, a leading team of analysts buried in the heart of GCHQ secretly works to ward off a cyberattack on the country's electoral system. Saara Parvan (Hannah Khalique-Brown) is a young student getting work experience in the malware department when a security breach leads to a high-stakes first day at the office. She's quickly thrust into the center of an escalating data war with Russia that has dangerous implications extending far beyond cyberspace."

The series dives into a potentially interesting setting, dramatizing what could very well play out in the future, wherein cyberattacks would play a crucial role in directly impacting the course of a nation, especially amid a highly tense, politically volatile environment. Most episodes end at the 47-minute mark, and there are six episodes in total. 

Kosminsky's drama series originally premiered on June 30, 2022, on Channel 4, and its season finale will air on August 4, 2022, in the UK. In the United States, soon you can watch "The Undeclared War" on Peacock, where the series drops on August 18, 2022.

Apart from Hannah Khalique-Brown, who plays Saara, the series also stars Mark Rylance, Simon Pegg, Adrian Lester, Alex Jennings, and Maisie Richardson-Sellers, among others. While Pegg plays Saara's boss, Danny, Rylance plays former GCHQ asset John Yeabsley. This is not Rylance's first collaboration with Peter Kosminsky, as he previously appeared in his "The Government Inspector" and "Wolf Hall," for which he earned numerous award nominations (and won a BAFTA for "The Government Inspector").

"The Undeclared War" is executive produced by Colin Callender and Noëlette Buckley for Playground, with Robert Jones, Playground, Stonehenge Films, and Universal International Studios acting as producers. Co-writers include Declan Lawn, Adam Patterson, and Amelia Spencer.

In a press release for the show, Kosminsky said the series has been "has been many years in the making" and "imagines how the next few years might play out in the domain of cyber warfare — a battle unseen by the public but with potentially devastating consequences."