YAGA on Crave: Release date, cast, story and everything we know
Carrie-Anne Moss plays Katherine in YAGA, premiering October 23 on Crave.
Photo credit: Christopher Lawrence / Crave
A missing heir brings a private investigator to a coastal town in YAGA, Crave’s forthcoming mystery thriller inspired by the folklore figure Baba Yaga. The Canadian eight-episode drama premieres October 23, 2026, with Carrie-Anne Moss, Noah Reid, Clark Backo and Hudson Williams leading the cast. Written and run by playwright Kat Sandler, the television adaptation follows her 2019 play of the same name.
The series was promoted at San Diego Comic-Con in July and was scheduled for a September screening at the Toronto International Film Festival, followed by a New York Comic Con panel on October 9. That event brought two additional preview clips and new comments from Sandler about adapting the stage production. With the Canadian premiere approaching, here is what has been confirmed about the story, its creators, the cast and the release schedule.
What is YAGA about?
The story takes place in Whittock, a fictional coastal town where private investigator Rapp (Noah Reid) has been brought in to look into the disappearance of Henry Park (Hudson Williams), heir to a powerful fishery. His investigation introduces him to local residents who may have information about the disappearance.
Among them are Carson (Clark Backo), an apprehensive local detective, and Katherine (Carrie-Anne Moss), a university professor. Bell Media describes the series as a contemporary mystery thriller drawing on Baba Yaga, the witch-like figure of Slavic folklore. The official synopsis promises a collection of suspects, concealed lives and ancient magic, though the central disappearance remains the principal mystery described in advance of the premiere.
Sandler wrote and directed the original Yaga at Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre in 2019. She has adapted her play for television and serves as the series’ writer, showrunner and an executive producer. The stage production provides the starting point for the television story; further comparisons between the versions are best made after the episodes are available.
Who stars in YAGA?
The principal cast includes Carrie-Anne Moss as Katherine, Noah Reid as Rapp and Clark Backo as Carson. Hudson Williams plays Henry Park and a second character named Logan, a dual role the series made public September 10. Williams’ two characters are part of the mystery, but the circumstances of that connection are best left for the episodes themselves. Reid played Patrick Brewer on Schitt’s Creek, while Backo appeared in Letterkenny.
The supporting cast includes Sheila McCarthy, Megan Follows, Katharine Isabelle, Hiro Kanagawa, Patrick Gilmore, Ezra Franky, Emilija Baranac, Georgia Acken, Anisa Harris and Sam Krochmal.
David Frazee and Rachel Talalay serve as co-directors. Mackenzie Donaldson, Andrew Miller and Moss are executive producers alongside Sandler, and Charles Cooper is credited as producer.
When does YAGA premiere on Crave?
YAGA premieres on Crave in Canada on Friday, October 23, 2026, with its first two half-hour episodes. One new episode follows on subsequent Fridays, with the final two arriving together on November 27. AMC+ has acquired the series for the United States, where it is also scheduled to premiere October 23.
The complete Canadian release schedule is:
October 23 — Episodes 1 and 2
October 30 — Episode 3
November 6 — Episode 4
November 13 — Episode 5
November 20 — Episode 6
November 27 — Episodes 7 and 8 — finale
Bell Media has confirmed the episode dates and weekly format, but the announcements reviewed do not establish a specific release time for Canadian viewers.
Is there a YAGA companion podcast?
YAGA: THE OFFICIAL PODCAST also begins October 23. Hosted by Canadian content creator and podcaster Carley Thorne, it will have an instalment accompanying each television episode. Bell Media says the discussions will examine episode developments, theories and behind-the-scenes material.
The podcast will be available through Crave, its official YouTube channel, iHeart and major podcast platforms.
Where was YAGA developed and produced?
YAGA is produced by Blink49 Studios and Vancouver-based Front Street Pictures in association with Bell Media. The production received participation from the Canada Media Fund, Rogers Series Fund and Bell Fund. Sphere Abacus, a Bell Media company, handles international distribution.
Ahead of the streaming launch, Bell Media announced a September 17 world-premiere screening at the Toronto International Film Festival. A first official teaser appeared at San Diego Comic-Con in July; AMC followed with a full trailer on September 25 featuring Alanis Morissette’s cover of Donovan’s “Season of the Witch.” The series has also been acquired for distribution in markets outside Canada and the United States.
Bell Media has confirmed international acquisitions including Sky in the United Kingdom and Ireland, Sky in New Zealand, HBO Max in parts of Europe and Foxtel Group in Australia. These arrangements do not change its Canadian home on Crave.
What did YAGA reveal at New York Comic Con?
The October 9 panel at New York Comic Con featured Moss, Sandler and Donaldson in conversation with TV Guide Magazine and TV Insider’s Damian Holbrook. Early promotional material had also listed Reid and Backo as scheduled guests, but Bell Media and AMC’s post-event reports identify Moss, Sandler and Donaldson as the participants. Those reports do not establish that Reid or Backo appeared.
Crave and AMC released two new clips following the panel. AMC has posted both previews on its official site and YouTube channels, allowing viewers to see additional scenes and character exchanges without relying on second-hand descriptions. In coverage from the panel, TV Insider describes one excerpt as suggesting a more confrontational side to Rapp, while another shows him questioning Katherine. Those moments introduce friction around the investigation without confirming what happened to Henry. AMC has made both clips available through its official post-panel report.
TV Insider’s on-site report also included Sandler’s account of the decision to have Williams play Henry and Logan. According to Sandler, the parts were conceived as two separate lookalike characters before she proposed offering both to Williams. The dual casting had already been announced publicly on September 10, so the new information from the panel concerns the creative decision rather than the casting itself.
