Netflix, Coben link for originals

Global streamer Netflix has signed an overall deal with bestselling author Harlan Coben to develop 14 existing and future works for English- and foreign-language series and films.

Harlan Coben

The pact includes Coben’s forthcoming novel Run Away and will see him serve as exec producer on all developments. The writer, whose works have sold more than 75 million copies worldwide, already has two series on Netflix, 2015 French thriller No Second Chance and this year’s UK detective drama Safe, starring Michael C Hall.

“Harlan’s page-turning crime novels are beloved by readers around the world,” said Erik Barmack, Netflix VP of international originals. “We are excited to continue our partnership with him and develop his suspenseful thrillers into global Netflix originals.”

Coben said he was enthused by the “fantastic audience response around the world” to working on Safe and hoped to continue this with his future projects.

In related news, Netflix has announced new Hispanic crime anthology series Historia De Un Crimen. Inspired by true events, the show will explore notorious crimes from history. The source material will be taken from cases around the world, with the first eight-episode season – Historia de un Crimen: Colosio – focusing on the murder of Mexican presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio in 1994.

The series will be produced by Dynamo (Narcos) for Netflix, with Rodrigo Santos as head writer. Andrés Calderón and Juan Uruchurtu produce and it will be directed by Hiromi Kamata and Natalia Beristáin.