Plane Thriller 'Red Eye' Will Finally Land in America on Hulu in July

Surprise! Another popular British series is crossing the pond this month to stream on Hulu with relatively little promotional fanfare. The streaming service has acquired the high-octane thriller Red Eye and will release the series as a binge drop before the end of July 2025. The streamer is also releasing the period drama Dope Girls this month, and while this is all very exciting news for fans of British entertainment who have been waiting for both properties to find U.S. homes, the generally quiet arrival of both is somewhat disheartening. That said, its buzzy, high-stakes premise means the series is at least well-positioned to potentially break through the streaming clutter. 

Red Eye stars Richard Armitage (Fool Me Once) as a British doctor who is arrested upon flying home from a trip to Beijing, accused of murder, and ordered to return to China to face charges for a crime he swears he didn't commit. Jing Lusi (Argylle) is DC Hana Li, the no-nonsense officer assigned to accompany him on the all-night flight back across the globe. But when passengers aboard their plane begin suddenly and mysteriously dying, Dr. Nolan's claims of innocence start to sound a whole lot more compelling, drawing both DC Li and her prisoner into a conspiracy that goes much further than either could have expected. 

If you're thinking this series sounds like the British cousin of Apple TV+'s Hijack, well, you're not entirely wrong, but the claustrophobic setting almost certainly means it's going to be a wild, stress-filled ride. 

Here's the series synopsis.

A red eye flight underway from London to Beijing becomes a thrilling journey after Dr. Matthew Nolan is arrested and accused of murdering a woman. Despite protesting his innocence, London Police Officer, DC Hana Li, is tasked with escorting Dr. Nolan back to Beijing to face charges — but after an incident occurs on-board, she finds herself embroiled in an escalating conspiracy

Alongside Armitage and Lusi, the series' first season also stars Lesley Sharp (Before We Die) as the Head of MI-5, Madeline Delaney, and Jemma Moore (Lockwood & Co.) as journalist Jess Li. Other cast members include Dan Li (The Lazarus Project), Cash Holland (The Completely Made Up Adventures of Dick Turpin), and Tai Yin Chan (Black Doves).

The series premiered last on ITVX in April 2024, with audiences in excess of 8 million viewers. Its success spawned a second season, which will see primary cast members Lusi, Sharp, and Moore return alongside new addition Martin Compston (Line of Duty) and tackle a brand-new case. (If the past is prologue, Season 2 will also come to Hulu after it airs in the U.K., with at least a small amount of marketing. Hope springs eternal.)

Red Eye is the debut TV project from Flightplan director Peter A. Dowling and hails from Doctor Who production company Bad Wolf. Dowling and Jingan Young wrote the series, which is helmed by director Kieron Hawkes (The Burning Girls). Executive producers include Julie Gardner (I Hate Suzie) and Lachlan MacKinnon (Industry), with Kristian Dench (The Capture) and Letitia Knight (Whitstable Pearl) as producers. 

All six episodes of Red Eye Season 1 will premiere on Hulu on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. Season 2 has not yet aired in the U.K., but is expected to be released in the coming months.