Netflix has landed another hot project.
After being pitched around town just last week, the streaming giant has nabbed “
Maniac,” the
Cary Fukunaga-directed series starring
Emma Stone and
Jonah Hill with a 10-episode straight-to-series order, sources tell
Variety.
The dark comedy is about a guy who lives a fantasy life in his dreams, but in reality, is locked up at an institution. Both Hill and Stone will play patients in the institution.
It’s no surprise that Netflix landed “Maniac,” given the company’s relationship with Fukunaga who was behind their first feature film “Beasts of No Nation.”
Paramount TV and Anonymous Content are behind “Maniac,” which is still without a writer. With a director of Fukunaga’s stature and A-listers in Hill and Stone, it’s likely a top scribe will pen the project, which is based on a 2015 Norwegian series.
Hill, Stone and Fukunaga will all serve as exec producers on the series, along with Anonymous Content’s Michael Sugar and Doug Wald, plus co-exec producer Ashley Zalta. “Maniac” marks Hill and Stone’s series regular TV debuts, plus their first time producing scripted television. The two Oscar nominees first teamed together in 2007 comedy movie “Superbad.”
“Maniac” is the second straight-to-series order for Paramount and Netflix. The streamer also ordered the Selena Gomez-produced YA series
“13 Reasons Why,” Variety first reported. Based on the 2007 book of the same name, Gomez is not set to star in the drama, which is set for a 13-episode season.
For Netflix, the show is one of many to land a straight-to-series order, which is becoming typical practice for the company that has become the hot spot for big talent. Just last week, the comedy
“Santa Clarita Diet” was was greenlit with stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant attached. Comedy director
Nick Stoller also landed a comedy series order for his untitled emsembler, which revolves around a close-knit group of college friends who are all approaching forty.