Elena Ferrante Is Headed to HBO

It’s not TV. It’s the motherlovin’ Neapolitan Trilogy. Set your DVRs.

Lately it seems like there’s a lot of books-to-screen news, right? (Seriously, scroll through our Scuttlebutt feed if you want to watch some awesome trailers.) Well, if that’s your kind of thing (it’s ours), prepare yourself…

There’s a fresh development on the Ferrante front! Earlier this month, EL reported on the exciting news that the new adaptation of the cult-favorite Neapolitan Novels — My Brilliant Friend, The Story of a New Name, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay and The Story of the Lost Child — has found a director, Saverio Costanzo, and is due for a 2018 release. Today, Variety broke the news that HBO will be joining up with Italian state broadcaster RAI to give the highly anticipated show an international home (not to mention the ultimate prestige TV seal of approval — that coveted HBO backing).

Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels One Step Closer to Your TV

The producers Wildside and Fandango are planning a 32-episode series that will cover the complete storylines of all four books. For now, HBO has signed on for the first eight episodes, but the future seems promising. HBO Programming president Casey Bloys optimistically predicts that “these ambitious stories will no doubt resonate with the HBO audience.” (Resonate? Who are you kidding with that understatement? This show will richochet off the damn walls, Bloys. Or anyway a reader can dream.)