Netflix Orders 'Prep' Series

Netflix has officially ordered a new limited series titled 'Prep.' The project will be adapted from the bestselling young adult novel of the same name by Curtis Sittenfeld.

The series will move directly into development. This decision marks a milestone for the source material, which has been discussed for potential screen adaptation for twenty years. The story follows Lee Fiora, a scholarship student attending Ault, a prestigious boarding school in New England. The narrative focuses on her experience as an outsider among privileged classmates, exploring themes of friendship, romance, and social class.

Nicole Taylor has been appointed to adapt the book. She will serve as showrunner and executive producer. Taylor is known for creating the 2024 Netflix series 'One Day,' which starred Leo Woodall and Ambika Mod. Her other television credits include 'Three Girls,' 'Dracula,' and 'The White Queen.' She also directed the feature film 'The Wild Rose.'

Taylor stated in a press release that the novel is her all-time favorite book. She said she has wanted to adapt the story for twenty years since first reading it. Taylor described the text as an acute depiction of the introspective adolescent girl. She praised Sittenfeld's truthful take on the perils of social mobility.

The executive producing team includes Will Ferrell, Jessica Elbaum, and Alix Taylor. They are attached through Gloria Sanchez Productions. Sittenfeld will also serve as an executive producer. Taylor is represented by Curtis Brown Group and UTA for this project.

Sittenfeld expressed joy at seeing her novel adapted for television. She noted that the twenty-two-year wait had been worth it. The author highlighted the intelligence and enthusiasm of Alix Taylor in guiding the project forward. Sittenfeld praised Taylor's scripts, stating that the adaptation helps her understand her own novel and herself better.

Sittenfeld added that her current perspective at fifty-one years old is eager to see how the story of privilege and teen angst is reinterpreted on screen. The collaboration aims to bring the nuanced social dynamics of the original text to a new audience. Gloria Sanchez Productions has a long history of collaborating with Netflix. The company recently produced 'The Hawk,' a golf comedy starring Ferrell. Other notable titles from the company include 'Dead to Me' and 'No Good Deed.'

With the creative team assembled and the series order secured, the next steps will involve script development and casting. The greenlight confirms that the adaptation is now in active production under the guidance of established industry figures. Fans of the novel have long awaited a screen version of the story.