Netflix joins Baby-Sitters Club

Netflix has ordered a 10-episode series based on Ann M Martin’s bestselling book series The Baby-Sitters Club.

The family-friendly adaptation will be a contemporary live-action series following the friendship and babysitting adventures of five best friends in Stoneybrook, Connecticut.

It comes from Walden Media and Michael De Luca, who will executive produce. De Luca Productions’ Lucy Kitada will also serve as an executive producer.

Rachel Shukert (Netflix’s GLOW) will serve as showrunner and Lucia Aniello (Broad City) will serve as director and executive producer. Martin and Walden Media’s Naia Cucukov will produce alongside Aniello’s Paulilu Productions.

Netflix described the book series, which runs to more than 200 titles licensed in 20-plus territories with more than 180 million copies sold to date, as a timely story of female friendship, entrepreneurialism and empowerment.

A series based on the books was first made in 1990, while a feature film was released in 1995.

In related news, the streamer has hit back at those who have said its movies should not be entered for the Oscars because of their short appearances in cinemas.

Netflix movie Roma claimed three Oscars last month, sparking the latest round of debate around the awards that streamers’ films should be eligible to win.

Oscar winner Steven Spielberg has been among those to argue that movies on streamers or films handed short cinema runs should be entered for the Emmys, much like ‘traditional’ TV movies. He is planning to argue the point at an Oscar board meeting next month, according to IndieWire.

But Netflix defended itself in a tweet, arguing that it provided for those that couldn’t make it to cinemas.

We love cinema. Here are some things we also love:

-Access for people who can’t always afford, or live in towns without, theaters
-Letting everyone, everywhere enjoy releases at the same time
-Giving filmmakers more ways to share art

These things are not mutually exclusive.

— Netflix Film (@NetflixFilm) March 4, 2019