The Artful Dodger: release date, cast, plot, trailer and all about the sequel series following Charles Dickens’ iconic pickpocket as an adult

The Artful Dodger and Fagin from Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist are two of our best-loved fictional villains and now a new eight-part series on Hulu and Disney Plus is bringing them back to life, with a twist of its own.

The Queen’s Gambit and Love Actually star Thomas Brodie-Sangster plays The Artful Dodger as an adult. He’s now a surgeon but he can’t quite get rid of his taste for crime, so he lurches from high-stakes heists to life-saving surgery. Landscapers star David Thewlis plays Fagin in the series, which is set in 1850s Australia and features Aussie comedian, actor and writer Tim Minchin. This series has been described as ‘a rock n' roll tale with an Aussie connection.’

Here's everything you need to know about The Artful Dodger series coming to Disney Plus…

The Artful Dodger release date

The Artful Dodger is available to stream on Hulu in the US on Wednesday November 29 2023. The eight-part series becomes available on Disney Plus in the UK and Ireland from January 17, 2024.

How to watch The Artful Dodger online: release date and time

Is there a trailer for The Artful Dodger?

Yes a teaser trailer and official trailer for The Artful Dodger released now by Disney Plus and Hulu, which shows him cavorting around in High Society as Dr Dawkins, but desperate to cover up his childhood criminal past. Take a look at both below...

The Artful Dodger plot

Set in Australia in 1850s, we catch up with The Artful Dodger, aka Jack Dawkins, in the lively colony of Port Victory. He was transported there as a young pickpocket but is now a successful surgeon who is known in high society as Dr Dawkins.

Dodger’s past returns to haunt him with the arrival of Fagin, luring him back into a world of crime. Hen can’t quite shake off his criminal roots and still has a predilection for crime. That means he juggles his day job with high-octane robberies. A greater threat – to Dodger’s heart – is Lady Belle, the Governor’s daughter, determined to become the colony’s first female surgeon.

The Artful Dodger cast — Thomas Brodie-Sangster plays The Artful Dodger, aka Jack Dawkins

Now playing a grown-up version of the notorious pickpocketJack Dawkins, aka The Artful Dodger, Thomas Brodie-Sangster first won our hearts as Sam in the Christmas classic Love Actually. He’s since starred in The Maze Runner movies as well as the hugely popular Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit. He played Malcolm McLaren in Pistol, the series about The Sex Pistols, and Rafe Sadler in the BBC period drama Wolf Hall.

David Thewlis as Fagin

David Thewlis is playing Fagin, a London criminal who turns homeless boys into pickpockets and arrives in Australia where he catches up with Dodger and encourages him to engage in criminality once more.

David Thewlis best known for his role as Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter movies. He also stars in Enola Holmes 2, The Sandman, Landscapers and Justice League.

Who else is starring in The Artful Dodger?

Australian singer/song writer Maia Mitchell, who also starred in the Teen Beach movies, is playing Lady Belle Fox, who also wants to be a surgeon.

Upright’s Tim Minchin, Damon Herriman (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), Miranda Tapsell (Top End Wedding), Susie Porter, Kym Gyngell, Damien Garvey, Jessica De Gouw, Andrea Demetriades, Luke Carroll and Huw Higginson are also starring.

Also, joining the cast are rising talents Nicholas Burton, Lucy-Rose Leonard, Vivienne Awosoga and Albert Latailakepa.

Who else has played The Artful Dodger on screen?

Probably the most famous portrayal of The Artful Dodger was by the late Jack Wild in the hit 1968 movie Oliver! Chirpy cockney Jack shone while singing songs such as Consider Yourself, Be Back Soon and I'd Do Anything! The role won 16-year-old Jack an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

In the classic 1948 David Lean movie adaptation Oliver Twist, The Artful Dodger was played by Anthony Newley, and in the 2007 BBC1 drama (with Tom Hardy as Bill Sikes) Dodger was played by Adam Arnold.

Behind the scenes and more on The Artful Dodger

The Artful Dodger is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television’s Curio Pictures and produced by Beach Road Pictures. The series is created by James McNamara, David Maher & David Taylor.  Jo Porter represents Curio Pictures as Executive Producer and David Maher & David Taylor represent Beach Road Pictures as Executive Producers. James McNamara (Co-Creator, Co-Executive Producer and Writer), Andrew Knight (Co-Executive Producer and Writer), Jeffrey Walker (Co-Executive Producer and Director) and Ross Allsop (Producer) complete the producing team.