Yet another Margaret Atwood adaptation is coming to the small screen. A re-telling of the Canadian author’s “MadAddam” trilogy — consisting of “Oryx and Crake,” “The Year of the Flood,” and “MaddAddam” — is being developed by Paramount Television and Anonymous Content. Variety reports that the project caused a bidding war.
The books follow a small group of survivors in the wake of a global pandemic. They are “are left to shepherd a new race to inherit the world,” the source writes. “The series centers on Jimmy, a young boy disillusioned with the all-powerful corporations who rule civilization, whose best friend will develop the drug that wipes out humanity; Toby and Ren, two members of the cult ‘God’s Gardeners,’ who fight to survive on the margins of society; and Zeb, one of the founders of ‘God’s Gardeners.’”
“mother!” writer-director Darren Aronofsky was previously signed on to adapt the novels for HBO but that project isn’t moving forward and he’s not attached to this one. No word on who will write and/or direct this new take on “MaddAddam.” Rock Paper Scissors Entertainment’s Linda Carlson, Kent Kubena, and Angus Wall are set to EP alongside Anonymous Content’s David Kanter and Bard Dorros.
“I am very happy with the vision described to me by Angus, Kent, David, Bard, and Amy, as well as the stunning visual presentation they put together,” Atwood said. “I very much look forward to working with them.”
Hulu’s adaption of Atwood’s dystopian story “The Handmaid’s Tale” earned critical praise and high ratings. The Elisabeth Moss-starrer won eight Emmy awards, including Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Moss) and Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Reed Morano). It’ll return for a second season April 25.
2017 also saw the launch of “Alias Grace,” a CBC miniseries based on Atwood’s true crime story of the same name. Sarah Gadon stars in the acclaimed period drama, which hit Netflix in November.
