The streaming service obtained the rights to adapt Celeste Ng’s bestselling novel after a major bidding war.
Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington are headed to Hulu!
After a contentious bidding war, the streaming service has obtained the rights to develop an adaptation of Celeste Ng’s bestselling novel Little Fires Everywhere, with Witherspoon and Washington both set to star and executive produce.
Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine production company and Washington’s Simpson Street will produce the limited series alongside ABC Signature Studios. Casual showrunner Liz Tigelaar -- who recently netted Hulu its first Golden Globe nomination -- will write and serve as showrunner and executive producer.
Little Fires Everywhere, which was Witherspoon’s book club pick back in September 2017, tells the story of a tranquil suburban community that is turned on its head by the arrival of a mysterious single mother and her teenage daughter. When a custody battle pits neighbor against neighbor, buried secrets come to light and threaten to upend both the community and the long-held belief that following the rules can prevent devastating consequences.
“At Hello Sunshine, we strive to shine a light on female-driven stories that are rooted in inspiration, emotion and truth - all of which form the bedrock of Celeste Ng's ingenious work,” Witherspoon said in a statement. “Hulu has a rich history of transforming groundbreaking literature into groundbreaking television, and we are confident that their talented team will use this story to spur a long-overdue dialogue around race, class, and what it means to be a mother. With Kerry Washington, Liz Tigelaar and now Hulu, Hello Sunshine has brought together a dream lineup of creative collaborators, and we are privileged and humbled to have the opportunity to work with them to bring this important project to life.”
“As producers, we at Simpson Street are so proud to be part of this team to tell this extraordinary story inspired by Celeste Ng’s phenomenal novel and we are thrilled to be embarking on this journey with Hulu,” Washington added. “As an actress, I am floored to have the opportunity to work alongside Reese Witherspoon exploring the rich themes of this story playing these dynamic characters.”
This is the third TV project Witherspoon has attached herself to in recent months, following Big Little Lies, which is gearing up for its second season, and a morning TV show drama with Jennifer Aniston. The latter was picked up by Apple in November for two 10-episode seasons.
It’s also Hello Sunshine’s fourth major adaptation of a bestselling novel, following the success of Big Little Lies and the 2014 features Wild and Gone Girl.
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