Showtime’s highly anticipated drama “Ripley,” starring Andrew Scott (“Fleabag”), is finalizing a move to Netflix, TheWrap has learned. The nearly closed deal follows the reveal that another original from the premium network-streamer, the Shailene Woodley-starring “Three Women,” is being eyed at Starz.
“Ripley,” which was given an eight-episode series order back in September 2019, is an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s bestselling series of novels. The first of the quintet, published in 1955, was adapted into the Anthony Minghella-helmed 1999 film “The Talented Mr. Ripley” starring Matt Damon and Jude Law.
Steven Zaillian (“The Night Of”) wrote and directed the drama, which follows Tom Ripley (Scott), a grifter scraping by in early 1960s New York. When he’s hired by a wealthy man to travel to Italy to try to convince his vagabond son to return home, it marks his “first step into a complex life of deceit, fraud and murder.”
Rounding out the cast are Johnny Flynn as the rich Dickie Greenleaf (originated by Law in the movie) and Dakota Fanning as Marge Sherwood, an American living in Italy who suspects Ripley of having darker motives beneath his affable exterior.
Zaillian is executive producer on the series alongside Garrett Basch, Guymon Casady, Ben Forkner, Sharon Levy and Philipp Keel of Diogenes. Scott is a producer. The series is a co-production between Showtime and Endemol Shine North America, in association with Entertainment 360 and Filmrights.
According to Deadline, which first reported the news, Ripley is still in postproduction and was targeting a launch on Showtime later this year or early next year when news of the platform’s rebranding and merging with Paramount+ was announced. That, coupled with Showtime’s new strategy aimed at building franchises with “Dexter” and “Billions” spinoffs, spurred the series’ creators to consider a move. “Ripley” had already been drumming up excitement among other platforms and streamers, and Netflix reportedly stepped in to preemptively purchase the show.
“Ripley’s” move is the latest in a series of changes coming to the premium network, which is set to relaunch as Paramount+ With Showtime later this year. That news, which came in late January, brought with it the axing of multiple shows, including the Jon Bernthal-fronted “American Gigolo” and “Let the Right One In,” as well as “Three Women,” which had already completed its first season.
