What to expect from Possession, Sky's haunting new thriller

A crumbling plantation house haunted by generations of violence. A inheritance dispute that quickly spirals into something far darker. And a woman whose recurring nightmares turn out to be connected to a place she's never visited.  

Possession is the new five-part Sky Original thriller that blends supernatural horror, psychological mystery and historical drama into one of Sky Atlantic's most intriguing new dramas of the summer. 

Created and written by Misfits and Toxic Town actress Karla Crome and directed by acclaimed Jamaican filmmaker Storm Saulter, Possession follows ambitious lawyer Claudia, whose routine inheritance case takes her from Bristol to Jamaica. There, what begins as a routine legal case soon spirals into a mystery full of long-buried secrets. 

Possession premieres on Sky Atlantic (CH 111) on Thursday 6 August, with all five episodes available on demand the same day. Here's everything you need to know before watching one of this summer's most atmospheric thrillers.

Claudia is a lawyer whose latest assignment seems straightforward enough. She's sent to Jamaica to challenge an inheritance claim brought by local resident Cudjoe East against wealthy British aristocrat Oliver Connaught, whose family has owned the Hope Hill estate for generations. 

But it doesn't take long for Claudia to realise this is no ordinary legal dispute. The disputed estate is Hope Hill, an imposing Jamaican great house steeped in the legacy of colonialism, where generations of buried secrets and historical injustices linger beneath the surface.

As Claudia and Oliver begin investigating together, they uncover disturbing links between the plantation's brutal past and injustices that continue to shape the present.

From the moment she arrives, unsettling visions and strange coincidences begin to blur the line between nightmare and reality.  And the deeper Claudia digs, the more personal the mystery becomes, forcing her to confront questions about her own identity, family history and why Hope Hill has haunted her for so long.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Surface, Loki) leads the series as Claudia, the determined lawyer whose professional investigation becomes deeply personal.  

Joining her is Jonny Lee Miller (Elementary, Trainspotting) as Oliver Connaught, the wealthy heir whose family's ownership of the plantation is challenged by local resident Cudjoe East, played by Sheldon Shepherd (Bob Marley: One Love).  

The cast also includes Bel Powley (The Morning Show) as Charlotte, Nadean Rawlins (Bob Marley: One Love) as Mercy, Sean Gilder (Slow Horses) as Tom McKenzie, Oluniké Adeliyi (The Fire Inside) as Patsy Dawkins, Richard Dillane (The Crown) as Eugene Desfrienes, Diveen Henry (The Day of the Jackal) as Flora and Jack Bandeira (Happy Valley) as Kenneth Connaught. 

At first glance, Possession has everything you'd want from a supernatural thriller: an eerie old plantation, unsettling visions and a mystery that grows darker with every episode. But beneath the scares lies something much bigger. 

Created by Karla Crome from an original story by Jefferson Bannis, Possession explores how the legacy of colonialism continues to echo through the present day.

The ghosts lurking around Hope Hill aren't simply there to make you jump. They represent generations of injustice, trauma and stories that refuse to stay buried. 

The five-part drama also isn't afraid to tackle difficult themes. Slavery, racism and generational trauma sit at the heart of the story, giving the supernatural mystery real emotional weight as it explores how the past continues to cast a shadow over the present. 

Although Possession is a supernatural thriller, its story is firmly rooted in Jamaica's history and traditions. 

Filmed on location in both Jamaica and Bristol, the series makes striking use of its settings, with the Hope Hill plantation becoming one of the drama's most unforgettable locations. To bring the story to life, director Storm Saulter and the cast filmed at a real plantation house, giving the series an authenticity that adds to its haunting atmosphere.  

The series also draws on Jamaican music, folklore and spiritual traditions, weaving them into the mystery rather than using them simply as background. These elements help create a rich sense of place while reinforcing the show's exploration of identity, memory and the past.

Possession premieres on Sky Atlantic HD (CH 111) on Thursday 6 August, with all five hour-long episodes available on demand from launch day, so you won't have to wait to find out what happens next. 

Sky Atlantic is available on Virgin TV 360 or our Stream box to all Virgin TV customers with a Sky Entertainment package. Don't have the right package or box? Upgrade to our latest Virgin TV box or add Sky Entertainment channels to your package. 

Not sure if Sky Atlantic HD is included in your package? Log in to My Virgin Media to check what you’ve got and to see what you can add ahead of the premiere.