Netflix has officially bought the rights to bring us a tv series adaption of Heartstopper!
Back in 2019, we shared with you the news that See-Saw Films was developing a tv adaption of the YA graphic novel Heartstopper by Alice Oseman. Now, it appears that the tv project has acquired an official home on Netflix.
Amazing news from @AliceOseman, as her "joyous boy-meets-boy love story", Heartstopper, has been nabbed by @netflix for eight 30-minute episodes! Discover more here: https://t.co/QgUcYyCnFj pic.twitter.com/NqunszHm2b
— The Bookseller (@thebookseller) January 21, 2021
The original graphic novel series started out as a popular web comic released online through platforms like Tapas. In fact, you can still read the series online for free through that site. Though, the story’s popularity made it so Alice Oseman could officially publish print versions of the series.
Heartstopper’s plot follows a romance between two British teens, Nick and Charlie, who attend an all-boys grammar school. Charlie is high-strung, a worrywart, and openly gay while Nick is cheerful, soft-hearted, and a rugby player. The two usually stick to their own, but they’re one day forced to sit together. Nick and Charlie then become fast friends before Charlie falls for his athletic buddy and Nick ponders over whether he feels the same way.
What’s also special about this series is its diverse inclusion of other sexual orientations and gender identities. Several of the main couple’s friends are bisexual, transgender, lesbian, and so on.
what should their squad name be!!!
(i felt bad and added in the other two beans) (I was going to re-colour it greyscale anyway for the Vol 2 book so thought why not!!) pic.twitter.com/lEZOwilHsv— Alice Oseman Updates (@AliceOseman) November 19, 2018
The eight-episode series is being produced, again, by See-Saw Films (The King’s Speech, Lion) with BAFTA-winner Euros Lyn (Black Mirror, His Dark Materials, Doctor Who) directing. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Alice Oseman has written every episode of the show. In addition, the series is being executive produced by See-Saw’s Patcik Walters, Jamie Laurenson, and Hakan Kousetta. Lyn, See-Saw’s joint managing directors Iain Canning and Emile Sherman, and Zorana Piggott are joining them in that endeavor.
Oseman also shared on Twitter that the show currently has an open call for casting.
I know many of you have questions about HEARTSTOPPER casting… well, the very lovely @dedwardscasting and his team are casting the show!!! Like, now!!! 🔍🎬
Many of the teen roles are open casting and you can find more info on their website: https://t.co/npX91i8ygp— Alice Oseman Updates (@AliceOseman) January 20, 2021
“I am over the moon that Heartstopper has found a place at Netflix,” said Oseman. “Netflix is totally in support of my and See-Saw’s vision for the show, and I feel incredibly lucky to get to work with a team of passionate, creative people who all adore Heartstopper and want to make it the most beautiful show we can. It’s a joy and an honour to get to re-tell Nick and Charlie’s story for TV and I am so excited to share it not only with Heartstopper’s existing readership, but also a whole new audience around the world.”
Added Lyn: “I’m thrilled to be directing all eight episodes of Alice Osman’s glorious Heartstopper and can’t wait to bring the drama and humour of this joyous boy-meets-boy love story to the screen.”
See-Saw’ exec producer Patrick Walters said: “Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper is joyful tonic for these troubled times. It is an affecting graphic novel that’s on-screen version will pack a real emotional punch for today’s LGBTQIA+ teens. At See-Saw a top priority is to find stories that champion the underdog, and in Charlie and Nick we’ve been able to do exactly that. To have attached a filmmaker as uniquely talented and passionate as Euros Lyn to helm the series is a dream come true.”
Source: The Hollywood Reporter,
