Written under Handler’s pen name, Lemony Snicket, the book series follows three orphans looking for answers about their parents’ death and seeking their rightful inheritance. Unfortunately, their guardian, the evil Count Olaf, is determined to steal their family fortune and goes to extreme lengths to attempt to secure it. The series has sold over 60 million copies and also inspired a 2004 film adaptation, which starred Jim Carrey as Count Olaf.
Hudis comes to the show with another dark (though decidedly more adult) series under his belt; he previously was True Blood‘s showrunner. He’s also worked on Nurse Jackie, Cybill, and That ’70s Show. Hudis’ work as a writer on Nurse Jackie, which he also went on to executive produce, earned him an Emmy nomination in 2011.
Dysfunctional fictional families should be familiar territory for Barry Sonnenfeld. He directed 1991’s The Addams Family and its sequel, Addams Family Values. Sonnenfeld also helmed the Men in Black trilogy and Get Shorty, among many other films. His next film will be 2016’s Nine Lives, starring Kevin Spacey, Christopher Walken, and Jennifer Garner.
With the success that Netflix has had with kids’ content, an adaptation of a beloved book series is a smart move. Netflix previously highlighted how the stories are fun for the whole family. “On the search for fantastic material that appeals to both parents and kids, the first stop for generations of readers is A Series Of Unfortunate Events,” said Cindy Holland, VP Original Content at Netflix in a press release.
No release date for A Series of Unfortunate Events‘ TV adaptation has been announced yet.
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