‘Yaga’ Releases New Sneak Peek Ahead of October 23 Premiere on AMC+

Laura Bais
YAGA
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Canadian streamer Crave has developed a remarkable ability to transform genre stories into breakout hits, with the queer hockey romance ‘Heated Rivalry’ emerging as one of the platform’s standout successes over the past year. This momentum is now shifting to a darker and more mythological narrative.

The upcoming series is ‘Yaga,’ an eight-episode mystery thriller that reimagines the legend of Baba Yaga, inspired by showrunner Kat Sandler’s acclaimed stage play. The show first garnered attention at San Diego Comic-Con in July, generating excitement ahead of its full release this fall.

AMC+ has unveiled a new sneak peek clip, confirming that the series will debut with two episodes on Friday, October 23, exclusively in the U.S. Following the premiere, new episodes will be released weekly on Fridays, culminating in a two-episode finale scheduled for November 27.

The plot centers on Rapp, a private investigator portrayed by Noah Reid, who arrives in the coastal town of Whittock to probe the disappearance of Henry Park, the young heir to a significant fishery played by Hudson Williams. Rapp’s investigation soon puts him at odds with a wary local detective, Carson, played by Clark Backo, and a charming university professor with a penchant for younger men, Katherine, played by Carrie-Anne Moss, drawing him into a web of mysterious suspects, hidden lives, and ancient magic.

Sandler has shared her motivations for reinterpreting the Baba Yaga myth for contemporary audiences. She described the project as having evolved from myth to stage to her first greenlit series, emphasizing that the show reclaims the wicked witch archetype and transforms her into a compelling feminist antihero for today’s world. She noted that the project embodies the kind of storytelling she cherishes: dynamic, accessible, dark, humorous, and unapologetically bold.

In addition to its four leads, ‘Yaga’ features a diverse cast including Sheila McCarthy, Megan Follows, Ezra Franky, Patrick Gilmore, Katharine Isabelle, and Hiro Kanagawa, along with Emilija Baranac, Georgia Acken, Anisa Harris, and Sam Krochmal. Moss also serves as an executive producer on the series alongside Mackenzie Donaldson and Andrew Miller, with David Frazee and Rachel Talalay directing episodes throughout the season.

Before its AMC+ debut, ‘Yaga’ will have its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 17, followed by a dedicated panel showcasing exclusive content at New York Comic Con on October 9. This extensive promotional rollout, featuring two major genre and film festival appearances prior to the show’s premiere, indicates that AMC+ and Crave are positioning ‘Yaga’ as a flagship title for their fall lineup.

Given the impressive pedigree of its cast, which includes Moss’s legacy from ‘The Matrix,’ Reid’s fame from ‘Schitt’s Creek,’ and Williams’s recent rise in ‘Heated Rivalry,’ ‘Yaga’ is poised to attract fans of mystery, horror, and prestige drama alike. With its premiere date confirmed and a new clip circulating, anticipation for the series is set to escalate leading up to its October launch.

The show’s half-hour episode format distinguishes it from many of AMC’s other genre offerings, favoring a tighter, more engaging pace over the longer runtimes typical of prestige mystery dramas. Coupled with Sandler’s experience adapting her own stage material for the screen, this structural choice suggests ‘Yaga’ aims for a brisk, binge-friendly rhythm once episodes begin airing weekly.

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