The hugely successful and popular Mr. Bean star Rowan Atkinson will be starring in a new project, as Man vs. Bee will mark the actor's return to TV this summer. Atkinson started his acting career in 1979 in a television special where he played himself in The Secret Policeman’s Ball. Over the years, the English comedian has appeared in over 30 television series and 20 films. For most of us, we remember him from the British sitcom Mr. Bean – a childish man who, most of the time, unknowingly creates trouble for himself and the people around him. The actor, who is 67 years old, will be making his Netflix debut this June.

Man vs. Bee will once again reconnect William Davies and Rowan Atkinson. They have worked together in the past on the Johnny English films. Davies is a screenwriter who has written for multiple movies like Puss in Boots, How To Train Your Dragon, and Flushed Away, to name a few. David Kerr will be directing the series. He made his film directorial debut with Johnny English Strikes Again. He has directed multiple award-winning dramas and TV comedies like Beautiful People, Inside No. 9, Fresh Meat, etc. Karl Oskarsson will be the cinematographer, and Chris Clark will be as executive producer. House Sitter Productions will primarily produce it.

Here's everything else we know about Man vs. Bee so far.

The Plot & Cast

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ITV

In a statement released by Netflix, the official synopsis of the new upcoming series is:

Renowned actor and comedian Rowan Atkinson plays a new character in this riotous comedy. A man finds himself at war with a bee while housesitting a luxurious mansion. Who will win, and what irreparable damage will be done in the process?

Though no official trailer is out yet, the streaming giant has released a poster that shows Atkinson and the bee having an intense staredown. It sets a crazy battle between the striped black and yellow insect and the star.

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Rowan Atkinson, who will play Trevor, was cast in September last year. Jing Lusi of Crazy Rich Asians fame has recently joined the cast. According to Deadline, Lusi plays Nina, the owner of the luxurious mansion that is being house-sat by Trevor (Atkinson). The British actress became famous worldwide for her role in the smashing hit of 2018, Crazy Rich Asians, and is also known for playing in Stan Lee’s Lucky Man and Gangs Of London, a BAFTA-nominated series. We will also be seeing her in a new Netflix film, Tom Harper’s Heart of Stone, with Jamie Dornan and Gal Gadot. Julian Rhind-Tutt will play Nina’s husband, Christian, of Bridget Jone's Baby fame. Greg McHugh will be playing the Gardener, and India Fowler will play Maddy. Other cast members include Claudie Blakley, Trevor’s ex-wife, and Tom Basden as the Police Officer.

Production Status

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ITV

With each episode ranging between 10 and 20 minutes long, the first season will consist of 10 episodes. This is a rare short runtime format for Netflix, similar to the show Mr. Bean. The Netflix series was shot over the summer of 2021. The filming took place in London and, according to HertsLive, in Bovingdon, Hertfordshire as well. As per The Bovingdon Villager newspaper, “the word around Rowan Atkinson being in town quickly spread, with many villagers coming outside to take a peek.” The filming also took place in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. The small town is in central England, just north-east of London. The famous Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery is in the same town.

As of November 2021, the series has entered the post-production stage. After Netflix set up a UK team to develop production in the country itself, this series is one of many streaming giants making in the UK. Vice President, Original Series Anne Mensah said: "Setting up a team entirely based in the UK was always about being able to better connect to the fantastic program makers we have here — to provide a space for writers, producers, directors, and actors that feels local, friendly and familiar but also provides talent the opportunity to make shows that will impact on a global scale."

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Fans of Rowan Atkinson can also watch him in the upcoming Willy Wonka prequel alongside Olivia Colman and the talented Timothée Chalamet. The film follows Willy Wonka, the chocolatier played previously by Johnny Depp. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was released in 2005, and this upcoming film will follow Wonka before he opened his one-of-a-kind chocolate factory. Timothée will be playing the role of the young version of Willy Wonka, while there are no details of Olivia and Rowan’s parts yet.

Release Date

The comedy series Man Vs. Bee will premier worldwide on Netflix on Friday, June 24, 2022.