Netflix Announces ‘Anne Of Green Gables’ Adaptation, Comedy Series ‘Friends From College’

Netflix announced yesterday that it will premiere a series adaptation of the famed Canadian novel Anne Of Green Gables — slated to debut in 2017. Simply titled Anne, the series will tell the iconic coming-of-age story of a young orphaned girl in 1890 who is mistakenly sent to live with an elderly spinster and her aging brother, eventually transforming their lives, according to the streaming giant.

Anne will be created in conjunction with production company Northwood Entertainment and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), which will also broadcast the show’s eight one-hour episodes next year. Moira Waley-Beckett (Breaking Bad) will serve as writer and showrunner, and Niki Caro (Whale Rider) will direct the two-hour series premiere. Production kicks off next month in Ontario, Netflix said.

“Anne Shirley is one of Canada’s greatest gifts to the world, known and loved internationally,” Elizabeth Bradley, Netflix’s VP of content, said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to be working with the CBC and Northwood to bring this charismatic character to both new and old fans around the world.” Added Walley-Beckett: “I adore Anne! Exploring and expanding her story with new depth for a new generation has been exhilarating!”

Netflix notes that while Anne will honor the timeless novel, the series “will also chart new territory” and that “characters will experience adventures reflecting timeless issues including themes of identity, sexism, bullying, prejudice, and trusting one’s self.”

At the same time that it unveiled Anne, Netflix announced a forthcoming comedy called Friends From College — created by the husband-and-wife team Nick Stoller and Francesca Delbanco, who are behind Neighbors, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and Get Him To The Greek. The series will center around a group of friends, now in their forties, who went to Harvard together. Production will begin this fall in New York.