Paul Jennings’ Works Set for TV Treatment

Fremantle Australia has optioned the rights to works from Australian novelist Paul Jennings for TV development.

Jennings has sold more than 10 million books worldwide and written over 100 stories. His first book was published in 1985. The new series will be based on books such as Quirky Tales, Unbelievable, Tongue Tied, Unbearable and Unreal.

The 10×60-minute Twisted follows characters in the small town of Twisted Creek as they try to recover from a life-changing event. Twisted will take Jennings’ stories and create an ongoing series with individual tales in each episode. The creative team is Catherine Smyth-McMullen (The Sandman, The Other Lamb), Monica Zanetti (Ellie & Abbie—& Ellie’s Dead Aunt, While The Are Men Away) and Gemma Crofts (Surviving Summer).

Fremantle Australia’s head of drama, Carly Heaton, said: “Let’s get this out of the way: Twisted is not a kids show! It will be for everyone. We feel audiences are craving something we can watch across multiple generations, and this series will be it.

“We all have a favorite Jennings story, one that has stayed with us for years, and alongside Penguin Random House Australia, we are so excited to bring his incredible storytelling to life again on screen. We cannot overstate the reach and appeal of his work—Paul Jennings is an absolute cultural force, and it’s an honor to work with him.”

Jennings said: “To my great delight, Fremantle is developing some of my best work into a compelling narrative filled with diverse characters and weird plots. Each of my short story collections includes a small number of tales with stronger and more challenging themes, and they often include slightly darker or subversive content.

“Some say they are kids’ yarns that adults also enjoy. Others think of them as adult narratives that appeal to children. I just write what comes. Fremantle are doing something wonderful—making Australian stories for the world. I couldn’t be happier.”