Little Bell Inks Deal with Universal Television

Little Bell Productions, run by producers Brittany A. Little and Larissa Bell, has signed a first-look deal with Universal Television.

As one of its first projects with Universal Television, Little Bell has optioned the rights for a screen adaptation of Kimberly Belle’s thriller The Paris Widow, in which a dream vacation turns deadly when secrets from the past catch up to a married couple in Paris.

When Stella and Adam visit Paris, Stella is confident in their relationship, believing she has finally found a nice, normal guy. Things take a drastic turn when Adam goes missing after an explosion in the city square. As the French police investigate, it is revealed that Adam was on their radar as a dealer of rare and stolen antiquities, with a long roster of criminal clients. Stella refuses to leave Paris without the full story.

Little and Bell are executive producing the adaptation, alongside ColorCreative’s Talitha Watkins. Belle is co-producing.

Little Bell Productions was launched to amplify premium storytelling that puts unique voices at the center of the narrative. Prior to forming the company, Little served as VP of drama development at Universal Television, where she helped develop titles such as Bel-Air, The Best Man: The Final Chapters, FBI and The Equalizer. Bell was a development executive for Amazon Studios, where she shepherded I’m a Virgo and Swarm.

“We are exhilarated to be embarking on this next chapter of our careers with Universal Television, a place that feels like home,” Little and Bell said. “As individuals, we have always been mission-driven and are excited to be joining forces to bring stories to life that celebrate the universal in the unique and tap into the broader human condition. The Paris Widow does exactly that with the thrills and romance that can only be found, as we have all seen recently, in the City of Light.”

“We’re so excited to reunite with the team at Little Bell,” commented Erin Underhill, president of Universal Television. “Brittany and Larissa’s creative instincts, business savvy and passion make them ideal partners for Universal Television. The Paris Widow is a gripping and propulsive cat-and-mouse thriller and a perfect example of the compelling stories to come from this partnership.”

Belle added, “I am beyond thrilled to be partnering with the team at Little Bell and ColorCreative alongside Universal Television to develop The Paris Widow series. Stella is a resourceful and complex character with a few surprises up her sleeve, and I’m certain she’s in excellent hands. Europe is my part-time home, but I’ve been waiting for the right story to take the setting overseas. The Paris Widow fit the bill—a high-stakes, female-driven plot big enough to share the stage with a city as glamorous and picture-perfect as Paris.”