James R | On 14, Oct 2019

Don’t trust Gaten Matarazzo. That’s the main takeaway from the trailer for Prank Encounters, Netflix’s new hidden camera show.

Describing itself as “the most elaborate hidden camera prank show ever devised”, the show takes two complete strangers on the surprise ride of a lifetime. It’s business as usual until their paths collide and fear meets funny when their one-day assignments turn into supernatural surprises.

Matarazzo, known for playing Dustin in Stranger Things, is on hosting duties, following in the footsteps of such names as Ashton Kutcher and Jeremy Beadle. The series premieres on 25th October, with Season 2 arriving on 1st April 2021.

Here’s the trailer:

 

Prank Encounters: Season 1 and 2 is available on Netflix UK, as part of an £9.99 monthly subscription.

 

Prank Encounters: Gaten Matarazzo to host new hidden camera Netflix series

15th June 2019

Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo is hosting a new hidden camera prank show for Netflix.

Called Prank Encounters, the show will take two complete strangers who each think they’ve just landed a new job and venture out to start their first day. Hailing from Propagate, the series is exec-produced by Matarazzo, plus Ben Silverman, Howard T. Owens, and Kevin Healey for Propagate, and produced by Rob Hyde (Terrence Howard’s Fright Club, Troy).

Known for playing Dustin in Stranger Things, Matarazzo is breakout star who was named in The Hollywood Reporter’s top 30 stars under the age of 30. He began his professional career in the original Broadway production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert as Benji, appeared as part of the Godspell cast of 2013 and drew rave reviews as Gavroche in a 2014 revival of Les Misérables. He will soon return to the stage to lead the Hollywood Bowl’s summer production of Into the Woods.

When not filming, the 16-year-old devotes his time to raising awareness about cleidocranial dysplasia – a condition that affects the development of bones and teeth. With the help of a Utah-based doctor, Matarazzo launched CCD Smiles a Foundation built to help families pay their children’s dental bills. He also has a six-piece band, Work In Progress, which also includes his musically precocious siblings Carmen on the drums and Sabrina on vocals.

On top of that, and Stranger Things Season 3, he’s now going to be pranking people in fake workplaces for Netflix. It’s business as usual for the show’s targets, until their two paths collide and these part-time jobs turn into full-time nightmares. Netflix describes each episode as “terrifying and hilarious”.

Netflix has ordered eight episodes, directed by Anthony Gonzalez (Dance Moms, Undercover Boss).

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