“How does one capture such a celebrated and prolific author while delivering something new for audiences to engage with?” That is precisely the question Netflix aims to tackle with its newly announced documentary on the legendary Joan Didion.

For over 50 years, Didion’s work has extended over various literary media. Her credits include that of essayist, screenwriter, and novelist. She has been, as Netflix’s press release stresses, “our premier chronicler of the ebb and flow of America’s cultural and political tides with observations on her personal — and our own — upheavals, downturns, life changes, and states of mind.”

This documentary, directed by Griffin Dunne (“I Love Dick”) aims to capture a new level of intimacy and understanding through one-on-one conversations. Dunne and Didion touch on everything from “partying with Janis Joplin in a house full of LA rockers” to “the sleek literati scene of the 1950s and early ‘60s” to “her film scripts, including ‘The Panic in Needle Park.’” Dunne emphasizes that this documentary is a “true labor of love.”

Alongside Dunne, the film’s producers include Mary Recine (“What Happened, Miss Simone?”) and Annabelle Dunne (“Everything is Copy”).

Joan Didion’s essay “Goodbye to All That” was optioned for a film adaptation in 2015. Her books include “Slouching Towards Bethlehem,” “The White Album,” and “The Year of Magical Thinking.” Didion also wrote the screenplay for the Barbra Streisand-led “A Star Is Born” and “Up Close and Personal” starring Michelle Pfeiffer

“Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold” will premiere at this year’s New York Film Festival and on Netflix October 27.