There was a dim and distant time – called 2004 – when Paramount thought the Lemony Snicket books might be the next big family film franchise. That didn’t come to pass, despite the presence of Jim Carrey and Meryl Streep in A Series Of Unfortunate Events, and the Snicket stories have been book-bound since then. Netflix has decided to change that, picking up the rights to produce an original series from the stories.
Paramount is still involved through its Paramount Television division, which will co-produce the show. Few details have emerged about the elements the show will draw from, but we suspect it’ll go back to the beginning of the Series Of Unfortunate Events and run through the first book, even though the first three books provided the source material for the movie. Expect to see more misadventures for the three Baudelaire orphans and their dastardly uncle (well, distant cousin) Count Olaf.
“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,” Netflix’s Cindy Holland tells Variety. “The world created by Lemony Snicket is unique, darkly funny, and relatable. We can’t wait to bring it to life for Netflix members.”
Snicket – the nom de plum character for author Daniel Handler – isn’t so sure. “I can’t believe it,” he said, from an undisclosed location. “After years of providing top-quality entertainment on demand, Netflix is risking its reputation and its success by associating itself with my dismaying and upsetting books.”
Call us perverse - and Handler undoubtedly would - but we're rather looking forward to seeing it.