After Adolescence’s massive success placed it with Netflix’s most popular shows, the streamer is trying to find a way to strike while the iron is hot.
Netflix has big hit on their hands with the provocative limited series drama Adolescence. The show was designed to be a one-and-done with this story; however, the popularity of the series has moved its way up Netflix’s list by taking the #4 spot on Netflix’s Top 10 Most Popular Shows of All Time with more than 114 million views. The show has overtaken The Queen’s Gambit, Bridgerton seasons 1 & 3, The Night Agent, and Stranger Things season 3. Naturally, the company would want to capitalize on the success, but is there room for more story?
Deadline reports that Brad Pitt’s production company, Plan B Entertainment, is in talks to develop a new season of Adolescence for the streamer. Plan B co-presidents Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner told the publication that they are discussing possibilities with director Philip Barantini about the “next iteration” of the show. Gardner and Kleiner both glowed about the show’s massive success and said it proved that a “seemingly small, localized, emotional story” can resonate with audiences as much as franchise shows. Gardner says they are thinking of ways to “widen the aperture, stay true to its DNA, [and] not be repetitive.”
Gardner also stated, “Phil’s style of doing the episodes in one take is not a gimmick. It’s very much in conversation with the subject matter. In early conversations with Stephen and Jack [Thorne], they were talking about how it’s too easy to look away. You can look away from the school, you can look away from the police station, you can look away from the counseling, you can look away from the family. In that kind of prismatic way of viewing, you can duck the issue. So our theory was, what would happen if you couldn’t look away? And will that make the subject embed in you in a different way? That was a thrilling thing.”
Producers Stephen Graham and Hannah Walters hadn’t ruled anything out either way. Graham stated, “Possibly, let’s see how the figures are. But yeah, there’s the possibility of developing another story.” And while Walters would be giddy to work with Netflix again, she says, “A prequel to Adolescence, that’s certainly not going to happen. But there’s so much mileage in the one-shot and so much mileage in investing into human nature again and looking at something else. But yeah, everything’s looking good … everyone’s happy, shall we say?”
