Netflix is working on a new limited series based on John Steinbeck’s “East of Eden.”
Zoe Kazan, whose grandfather, Elia Kazan, directed the 1955 film adaptation of Steinbeck’s novel, will write and executive produce the series, which is still in development. Florence Pugh has been cast in the series, but the character she will play has yet to be revealed.
The series will be co-produced by Anonymous Content and Endeavor Content.
Steinbeck’s “East of Eden,” published in 1952, is set in California’s Salinas Valley between the Civil War and the end of World War I. The interconnected stories of the Hamilton family, an Irish immigrant family with nine children, and the Trask family, led by the wealthy Adam Trask, are told in the epic novel. The story eventually narrows its focus to Adam Trask, his wife Cathy, and their sons Cal and Aron, and the drama that surrounds them.
The novel was originally made into a movie in 1955, under the direction of Zoe’s grandpa Elia Kazan, for Warner Bros. James Dean’s first significant cinematic performance in the movie made it noteworthy as well.
The novel’s themes of pain and recovery, love and treachery, and duty and free will will all be examined in the limited series adaptation. Intimate portraits of the Trask family will be painted in the series against the backdrop of significant historical events, or, in Steinbeck’s words, “the tale of my nation and the story of me.”
East of Eden is just one of Pugh’s numerous ongoing projects; the actress is also an Oscar nominee. She will soon be seen in the Olivia Wilde-directed film Don’t Worry Darling, which also stars Chris Pine and Harry Styles. Additionally, she has The Wonder for Netflix, A Good Person, which debuts in the spring of 2019, and Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film Oppenheimer, which debuts in July of 2020.
Films like Worth, Swan Song, and Stillwater were among Anonymous Content’s busy 2021 releases. Foe will carry the banner after that.