'The Undeclared War' Trailer Showcases the Danger of Cyber Attacks — And Retaliation Against Them

Historically, movies and television shows about war have played out on the battlefield. But as society evolves, and technology does with it, even bigger threats lurk in less physically explosive areas. The Undeclared War explores that latter danger, and you can see a preview of how in the just-released trailer, below.

Set in a future that is literally right around the corner (2024), the six-episode drama series follows a team of analysts who are secretly working to ward off cyber attacks in the U.K. However, a stress test of internet infrastructure ends up being anything but routine in its results, which puts intern Saara Parvan (Hannah Khalique-Brown) in the center of high-stakes cyber warfare. 

With a general election looming and dangers lurking that are often invisible, tension will continue to rise over the course of the episodes and between characters who may fall on slightly different sides of the ideological and political landscapes. Saara and the rest of the team at GCHQ have to try to stay a step ahead and anticipate their opponents' next move, all while battling a ticking clock and keeping the level of the threat, and the danger posed by responses to the initial threat, from the general public.

"The Undeclared War has been many years in the making. It imagines how the next few years might play out in the domain of cyber warfare — a battle unseen by the public but with potentially devastating consequences. In my work, I've tried to shine a light on aspects of public policy which affect us all but where the details of what is taking place, often behind the scenes, are not well understood. I hope this drama will give audiences an insight into a world certain to impact our lives significantly in the years ahead," writer-director-executive producer Peter Kosminsky said in a statement.

The Undeclared War also stars Mark Rylance, Simon Pegg, Adrian Lester, Alex Jennings, and Maisie Richardson-Sellers. In addition to Kosminsky, Colin Callender and Noëlette Buckley executive produce for Playground. Robert Jones serves as producer. Declan Lawn, Adam Patterson, and Amelia Spencer serve as writers. The show comes from Playground, Stonehenge Films, and Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group in association with Channel 4.

The cyber thriller will drop all six episodes Aug. 18 on Peacock.