It’s been confirmed by Amazon Studios that they have placed a full straight-to-series order for a TV version of Hanna. The show will be based on the film directed by Joe Wright. It was already reported back in March that the project was being created by The Night Manager writer David Farr for NBC International.
The original movie was released in 2011 and starred Saoirse Ronan as the title character, a young girl raised in the frozen tundra of Finland by her ex-spy father (played by Eric Bana), who develops impressive assassination skills as a result. Cate Blanchett also starred as the CIA spook hunting her down. Although it didn’t set the global box office alight, it was much praised by critics for its off-beat tone and warped modern take on a “Fairy Tale Princess” narrative. It has since gone on to garner something of a cult reputation.
David Farr, who wrote the feature film itself, will also write the new series and continue the themes that were so dominant in the movie. This version of the story is described as; “a high-concept thriller and coming-of-age drama which follows the journey of an extraordinary young girl as she evades the relentless pursuit of an off-book CIA agent and tries to unearth the truth behind who she is”. Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements will executive produce with Scott Nemes and JoAnn Alfano for NBCUniversal International Studios.
Variety reports that Michael Edelstein, president at NBCUniversal International Studios, is very enthusiastic about the project and keen to start filming. He issued the following statement, saying:
“From the moment JoAnn Alfano and I saw Hanna it was evident that the film would make an incredible TV series…. Fortunately, David Farr felt there was more Hanna story to tell and wanted to revisit this extraordinary world. We’re excited to be in business with David, Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements who share our passion for this compelling story. The team at Amazon have been incredibly supportive and we are delighted this show will air on a platform that continues to generate exceptional content.”
There’s currently no further news as regarding the casting of Hanna herself, or any of the other characters who may or may not cross over from the movie’s plot. Whilst there’s always a possibility that the series may directly move on from the climax of the film, it’s just as likely that this will be a more substantial re-telling of the original plot, with the increased running time enabling Farr to explore some of the more dramatic moments in greater detail. No planned transmission or shooting dates are known yet either. Still, after the huge global success of The Night Manager, this certainly looks like a movie-to-TV adaptation that will be worth keeping an eye on.
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ScreenRant will keep you up to date with any further news on Hanna as we get it.
