The strange and compelling true story of two young men who walked out of the Canadian wilderness in 2003 with an unbelievable tale is finally reaching a global audience. “Wild Boys: Strangers in Town,” the two-part docuseries now streaming on Paramount+, has been a labor of love for its directors, Jeremiah Hammerling and Rita Baghdadi, who have been working on bringing this story to the screen for more than ten years. In a recent interview, the filmmakers opened up about the project’s long and winding road to completion, revealing how what began as a small independent film grew into a major streaming release.
The Story That Hooked the Directors
For Hammerling and Baghdadi, the fascination with the story of the so-called “Bush Boys” started long before the full truth was known. Baghdadi explained that there was something about the younger brother that compelled them to keep their cameras rolling, even when the narrative was still murky. “It started as an independent feature,” Baghdadi recalled. “There was something about the younger brother — even before we knew the full story — that made us want to keep going.”
The directors were initially drawn to the human element of the tale. In the summer of 2003, the small community of Vernon in British Columbia was captivated by the appearance of two brothers, Will and Tom Green. The pair claimed they had been raised entirely off the grid in the nearby forests, with no exposure to modern society, schools, or doctors. The town rallied around them, with locals offering food, shelter, and support. However, as the docuseries shows, this heartwarming story of community goodwill began to unravel as journalists and authorities started asking tougher questions. The brothers were eventually revealed to be American runaways, turning the entire narrative on its head.
A Decade-Long Creative Process
The journey from independent project to a polished Paramount+ release was not a quick one. Hammerling noted that the cultural relevance of the story shifted over the years, making it even more resonant for today’s audiences. “In some ways it’s a story that’s actually perfectly timed to come out now,” Hammerling shared. “As we’re trying to understand what’s true, what’s false, how do we get access to information.” This theme of questioning reality and the stories people choose to believe has become increasingly central in modern media, giving the docuseries a fresh relevance that it might not have had when filming first began.
The project gained significant momentum after the release of a popular podcast on the same subject. In 2022, Coldstream native Sam Mullins, who was a teenager living in Vernon when the brothers first appeared, created and aired an eight-episode podcast titled “Chameleon: Wild Boys.” The podcast became a massive success, reaching No. 1 in podcast rankings in Canada and New Zealand. In 2023, Mullins and his team won the prestigious Podcast of the Year award at the Ambies, often referred to as the Oscars of podcasting. This renewed interest helped breathe new life into Hammerling and Baghdadi’s long-gestating documentary project.
What Viewers Can Expect from the Docuseries
“Wild Boys: Strangers in Town” is now available to stream exclusively on Paramount+ as of February 18, 2026. The series is structured as a two-part event, allowing viewers to dive deep into the mystery that consumed a small town. The official synopsis from Paramount+ sets the stage: “In 2003, two young men emerge from the forests of British Columbia claiming to have been raised entirely off the grid. As a small town tries to help them, a mystery unfolds, testing how far people will go to believe the unbelievable.”
The docuseries promises to deliver the shocking twists that made the story famous. An exclusive sneak peek released ahead of the premiere teased the moment when someone recognizes the brothers from television, beginning to piece together the puzzle of their true identity. The directors have also addressed one of the most unsettling aspects of the case: the apparent lack of remorse from the brothers themselves, adding a complex psychological layer to the viewing experience.
Behind the Scenes and Production Credits
The production brings together an impressive lineup of studios. “Wild Boys: Strangers in Town” is produced by See It Now Studios, Candle True Stories, Vox Media Studios, Campside Media, and Endless Eye. Hammerling and Baghdadi serve as both directors and executive producers. The executive producer roster includes notable names such as Susan Zirinsky and Terence Wrong for See It Now Studios, James Goldston and Max Heckman for Candle True Stories, and Adam Hoff and Matthew Shaer for Campside Media. Trent Johnson is credited as a producer on the project.
For viewers in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and India, the series is available for streaming on Paramount+. Given the Canadian roots of the story, the series holds particular significance for audiences in British Columbia and across Canada, bringing a piece of local history to the global stage.
With its exploration of truth, deception, and the power of belief, “Wild Boys: Strangers in Town” offers viewers more than just a true-crime story. It presents a reflection on human nature and how easily a community can be drawn into a narrative that feels right, even when the facts don’t quite add up.
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