Netflix announced today that it’s co-developing an Italian-language series based on Elena Ferrante’s most recent novel, The Lying Life of Adults, with Italian film-production company Fandango.
“We are incredibly honoured to be entrusted to develop a series based on The Lying Life of Adults,” said Felipe Tewes, the steaming service’s director of local-language original series, in a news release. “Elena Ferrante books have inspired and captivated audiences in Italy and around the world, and we are thrilled to bring her latest endeavour to the screens of our global audience.”
The novel was published in Italy this past November by Edizioni E/O, but, as Kirkus’ Michael Schaub reported last month, its release has been delayed in the United States and some other European countries. Europa Editions moved the publication of its English-language edition from June 9 to Sept. 1, citing “the varied effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the publishing and bookselling industries” as the reason.
Ferrante’s bestselling Neapolitan Novels have been adapted since 2018 as the HBO TV series My Brilliant Friend. It was recently renewed for a third season, dedicated to the 2014 book Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay.
No potential release date for The Lying Life of Adults series has yet been announced. Netflix has produced many other non-English-language shows in countries outside the United States, including some based on books. Just last week, for instance, Netflix released the Spanish-language series Valeria, based on a series of novels by Spanish author Elisabet Benevent, which are bestsellers in her home country. However, that show’s release is facing a COVID-19-related problem of its own: A notice on the Netflix site reads, “Some [dubbed] audio languages are delayed. We’re prioritizing voice actor safety.”
David Rapp is the senior Indie editor.
