Wildside to adapt Neapolitan Novels

FremantleMedia-owned Italian prodco Wildside, the firm behind forthcoming drama The Young Pope, is coproducing a TV adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels.

Wildside has partnered with Italy-based Fandango Productions to bring to life the quartet of novels – the fourth of which was recently named among the New York Times’ best 10 books of 2015.

Set in 1950s Italy, the country in which the production will be filmed, the story will unfold over four eight-part series.

The Neapolitan Novels follow the lives of Elena and Raffaella as they grow up amid turbulent times for their hometown – a deprived neighbourhood on the outskirts of Naples.

Wildside MD Lorenzo Mieli said: “We’re very privileged to be working closely with the superbly talented Ferrante and Fandango productions to bring this rich, gripping and highly addictive collection of novels to life. Ferrante’s works portray a fascinating and intense insight into past times, and the stories and characters have become a literary obsession for many fans all over the world.”

FremantleMedia acquired a 62.5% majority stake in Wildside last August as part of its continuing drive to grow its scripted business. Wildside is currently producing eight-part Paulo Sorrentino-directed drama The Young Pope, a joint production with Sky, HBO, Canal+ and Haut et Court TV.