Fans of crime drama, prepare to get excited. Netflix continues on its streak of original productions with a mini-series adaptation of Alias Grace, the best-selling novel by world-renowned author Margaret Atwood. Sarah Polley (Away From Her, Stories We Tell) will write and produce, and Mary Harron (American Psycho, I Shot Andy Warhol) is set to direct.
The novel is based on the 19th century true story of Grace Marks, a poor Irish immigrant who worked in Upper Canada (now Ontario) as a domestic servant. She and another servant, James McDermott, were convicted of the murders of of their employer, Thomas Kinnear, and his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery. McDermott was hanged for the crime, while Marks spent 30 years in prison. It was one of the most notorious crimes of its day, and has remained part of Canadian historic legend, mainly as there are conflicting theories as to whether Marks was a cold-blooded murderess, or merely an unwitting accessory to the crime.
Another of Atwood's biggest novels, The Handmaid's Tale, is getting a television adaptation with Hulu, starring Elisabeth Moss. It's set for debut in 2017; no word yet on when Alias Grace will come to the small screen. Production on the series will begin this summer in Ontario. Harron and Polley will be joined in executive producing by Noreen Halpern (Working the Engels).
This is one of the great Canadian novels, and is rich in both history and scares. Seriously, it's a terrifying story, brilliantly crafted, and I have no doubt that with the pedigree of both Polley and Harron, this will be a tremendous show.