Hostage: Netflix drama about two leaders in a hostage crisis

Netflix’s new political thriller, a five-part limited series titled Hostage, arrives on August 21, 2025, with Suranne Jones and Julie Delpy leading a story that centers on a kidnapping that pits a British prime minister against a French president who is also being blackmailed. The drama follows the two leaders as they navigate a high-stakes crisis that could redefine both their careers and their countries, forcing unlikely cooperation to uncover the truth behind the ostensible ransom.

The core narrative threads a fictional British Prime Minister, Abigail Dalton, whose husband is abducted during a high-profile overseas visit, triggering a ruthless ultimatum: she must resign within 24 hours or her husband will pay with his life. Simultaneously, French President Vivienne Toussaint becomes ensnared in a blackmail plot linked to a compromising secret, pushing the two leaders into a tense alliance as they weigh political futures against personal loyalties. The central performances come from Jones, who portrays Dalton, and Delpy, as Toussaint, with a supporting ensemble that includes Lucian Msamati, Ashley Thomas, Corey Mylchreest, James Cosmo, and Jehnny Beth.