Netflix’s ‘The Doll’ Turns a Beloved Polish Novel Into a Six-Episode Period Drama

Netflix is preparing to release its take on one of Poland’s most treasured literary works, and the streamer is treating the project as a genuine event rather than a quiet library addition. The series, titled ‘The Doll,’ adapts Bolesław Prus’s classic novel of the same name and arrives with the kind of production polish Netflix typically reserves for its highest priority international bets.

The story follows a self-made merchant whose obsession with a cold and aristocratic woman pulls him into a world defined by class division and shifting social order. It is a period drama built around ambition, romance, and the tension between old money and new, and it lands on Netflix at a moment when the streamer is clearly investing in prestige literary adaptations from across Europe.

What ‘The Doll’ Is Based On

‘The Doll’ is a Polish historical drama miniseries adapted from the novel by Bolesław Prus, and it is widely regarded as one of the most significant works in Polish literature. The series is set to release on Netflix on September 16, 2026. The official description frames the story as a modern retelling in which a self-made merchant is torn apart by his desire for a strong-willed aristocrat, a dynamic that drives the entire narrative forward.

According to Rotten Tomatoes, the plot centers on a self-made businessman in nineteenth century Warsaw who becomes obsessed with a cold, aristocratic woman, and that obsession exposes the deep social divides, romantic ideals, and societal stagnation of Poland under Russian rule. The official logline goes further, describing a merchant named Stanisław who is driven by fierce ambition to climb the social ladder, with his infatuation with a woman named Izabela becoming his gateway into the elite world he longs to join.

Izabela, for her part, is portrayed as a woman trying to break free from the rigid confines of aristocratic expectation and define her own place in a society that is changing quickly around her. The bond between the two leads is described as suspended between class divide, obsession, a longing for freedom, and the pull of wealth, which gives the series a more layered emotional core than a simple romance.

The project marks another attempt by Netflix to bring a classic literary work to the screen with high production values, following a similar approach with other period pieces on the platform. Principal photography began in July 2025, with filming taking place at Nieborów Palace, on Szajnocha Street in Wrocław, at the Karol Poznański Palace in Łódź, in Lublin’s Old Town, and near the Nicolaus Copernicus Monument on Krakowskie Przedmieście in Warsaw.

The Cast and Crew Behind ‘The Doll’

The series stars Sandra Drzymalska as Izabela and Tomasz Schuchardt as Stanisław Wokulski, and both actors bring notable resumes to the project. Drzymalska was nominated for a Polish Academy Award for her role in Jerzy Skolimowski’s EO in 2022, and Netflix subscribers may already recognize her from the comedy series ‘Sexify,’ which ran for two seasons.

Schuchardt has an extensive career in Poland spanning both film and television. He also had a supporting role in ‘Operation Hyacinth,’ a Netflix original movie that premiered in 2021. Together the two leads anchor a story that leans heavily on chemistry and tension between characters from very different social standings.

The supporting cast rounds out the ensemble with several familiar Polish performers. The cast is rounded out by Dariusz Chojnacki, Jacek Braciak, Julia Wyszyńska, and Magdalena Cielecka. Behind the camera, the series is directed by Paweł Maślona, who also co-wrote the episodes alongside Paweł Demirski and Jagoda Dutkiewicz.

Maślona previously directed ‘Scarborn,’ a 2023 film chronicling the life of Polish revolutionary hero Tadeusz Kościuszko. Kościuszko was a general who organized an uprising against the Russian Empire in the eighteenth century, which gives Maślona a track record of handling historical material with a similar scale to what ‘The Doll’ requires.

When ‘The Doll’ Premieres on Netflix

The release date has been confirmed across multiple official channels and industry outlets. ‘The Doll’ will be released globally on Netflix on September 16, 2026. The series is structured as a six-episode limited run rather than an open ended drama, which fits the closed narrative shape of the source novel.

Netflix has been building anticipation for the release for months. According to Deadline, Netflix Poland used one of its global content events to unveil a first-look image of the series adaptation, showing Drzymalska and Schuchardt entangled in a complicated and tense story set against the backdrop of nineteenth century Warsaw. That event also placed ‘The Doll’ alongside several other Polish originals the streamer is championing this year.

Poland has become one of Netflix’s priority markets in Europe, and the streamer maintains a production base there specifically to support projects like this one, according to Deadline’s reporting on the event. A teaser trailer for the series was also released in February 2026, notably featuring the song Creep by Radiohead, a choice that drew attention for pairing a modern alternative rock track with a nineteenth century period setting.

A Rival Adaptation Arrives at the Same Time

What makes this release unusual is that Netflix’s version is not the only screen adaptation of Prus’s novel arriving this year. A separate feature film adaptation of ‘The Doll,’ directed by Maciej Kawalski, stars Marcin Dorociński as Stanisław Wokulski, Kamila Urzędowska as Izabela Łęcka, and Marek Kondrat as Ignacy Rzecki, with an ensemble cast that includes Krystyna Janda, Agata Kulesza, and Dawid Ogrodnik.

That film carries a substantial budget of its own. With a production budget of fifteen million euros, it stands as one of the most expensive Polish films ever made, and it is set for release in Polish cinemas on September 30, 2026 through Kino Świat. Production on the film began in July 2025 along Ujazdów Avenue in Warsaw, and TVN Warner Bros Discovery joined as a co-producer in January 2026.

The overlap between a Netflix streaming series and a theatrical film based on the same source material within weeks of each other is a rare occurrence. Observers have already started comparing the visual branding of both projects, from poster typography to trailer aesthetics, as audiences try to distinguish between the two versions of the same story ahead of their respective releases.

For a novel that many consider the greatest work in Polish literary history, having two separate high budget adaptations land in the same month says something about how much cultural weight the story still carries. Whether Netflix’s global streaming reach or the film’s theatrical exclusivity ends up shaping the more lasting impression of Prus’s story is something only audiences will be able to answer once both versions are out.

Which version of Stanisław and Izabela’s story are you planning to watch first, the Netflix series or the theatrical release hitting Polish cinemas two weeks later.