A new Netflix series starring Nicole Kidman is a drama with the potential to outshine Amazon Prime’s hit psychological thriller Saltburn only 10 months after the film’s release. Including Nicole Kidman, Netflix’s murder mystery has a stacked cast that could compete with the impressive list of performers featured in Saltburn. While Saltburn’s Catton Family tree is full of complex characters that subtly serve as a satire of the upper class, Netflix’s upcoming series may cultivate similar dynamics in a setting just as eerily majestic as Saltburn Manor.

Saltburn‘s critical and cultural success is about more than its setting and quirky characters. The movie effectively created a decadent and indulgent tone that immediately immersed the audience, seducing them just as much as Barry Keoghan’s Oliver. As a result, other projects influenced by Saltburn have more to draw on than aristocratic opulence. Yet, as Netflix’s series proves, such settings can be the perfect location for thrilling drama.

Nicole Kidman’s The Perfect Couple Looks Like Netflix’s Rival To Saltburn

The Show Seems To Convey The Same Sentiments As Saltburn

Based on a 2018 novel with the same name, Nicole Kidman’s latest project is titled The Perfect Couple. As The Perfect Couple teaser trailer suggests, the story features a grand wedding at a Nantucket Mansion that goes wrong when a body is found right before the ceremony can even commence. In comparison, Saltburn follows an awkward college student who gets the opportunity to stay at his friend’s extravagant family home, where tragedy strikes amid lavish living. Yet while the specifics differ, there are clear parallels between the stories that make Saltburn‘s impact plain to see.

With The Perfect Couple’s private Nantucket beach house living up to the grandeur of Saltburn’s British property, the visuals in Netflix’s show immediately evoke the ominous luxury that Amazon’s film showcased. Beyond aesthetics, the character interactions shown in The Perfect Couple trailer appear to have the same unspoken discomfort that Saltburn creates to mock social nuances among rich people. Both projects appear to juxtapose the supposed ease of wealth with dark themes, as the affluent find themselves afflicted by horrors that money cannot solve.

Why Saltburn’s Quirky Appeal Will Be Difficult To Recapture

What Makes Saltburn Spectacular Also Makes It Hard to Watch

Despite its hype, Saltburn did not get any Oscar nominations in 2023, partially because of the film’s provocative imagery. Its cult following still commends the movie for daring to put the most strained situations imaginable on the big screen, but the uncomfortable moments are exactly what makes stories like Saltburn difficult to share. The Perfect Couple faces the challenge of recreating Saltburn’s cringe while also cultivating viewer interest, a feat that may be tougher given Netflix’s mainstream audience.

Although Saltburn’s distinctive atmosphere is difficult to successfully emulate, Netflix’s upcoming Nicole Kidman series shows promise. The star-studded cast, intriguing setting, social undertones, and more give the show a chance to contribute to the complex conversations Saltburn has sparked, particularly regarding class conditions of today’s world. Whether The Perfect Couple will hold a candle to Saltburn‘s fiery filmmaking or not, viewers can expect similarities to one of 2023’s biggest hits.