My Brilliant Friend Renewed for Season Three

HBO and Rai have ordered a third season of the drama series My Brilliant Friend, created by Saverio Costanzo and based on Elena Ferrante’s four-part book series.

Season three of My Brilliant Friend, produced by Fremantle’s The Apartment and Wildside and Fandango, will follow the story in Ferrante’s third book in the series, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay. The eight-episode second season, My Brilliant Friend: The Story of a New Name, is set to air its finale in the U.S. on May 4 on HBO.

Fremantle is the global distributor of My Brilliant Friend, in association with Rai Com.

Francesca Orsi, executive VP of programming at HBO, said: “Bringing Elena Ferrante’s exquisite work to life has been such a joy and privilege. The fact that viewers and critics alike have continued to embrace Elena and Lila’s story makes it all the more gratifying, and we thank the entire team led by Saverio Costanzo for their outstanding work on the second season. We cannot wait to tell the next chapter of Elena and Lila’s lives and friendship.”

Eleonora Andreatta, Rai’s head of drama, said: “Meeting with success among the Italian and international audience, the great challenge of My Brilliant Friend continues with Rai and HBO announcing the third season, fortifying the ambition to create a complex story and bring the Italian imagination to the world, always keeping the lived experience of our country at the center of the narrative. The success of the second series has confirmed the power of Elena Ferrante’s story and its capacity to become a compelling serial loved worldwide with the richness and charm of Saverio Costanzo’s direction.”

Lorenzo Mieli, CEO of Fremantle’s The Apartment, said: “Breaking down geographical and linguistic barriers, betting on the past to speak about the present, and on the specific to turn it into something universal. These were the challenges when we began work on the first season of My Brilliant Friend. Encouraged by the perfection of Elena Ferrante’s novels and the talent of Saverio Costanzo, a daring challenge and for that reason, quite marvelous. Our success is also thanks to HBO and Rai, who have accompanied with care the development of a project that has indeed broken down those barriers with grace and beauty.”

Domenico Procacci, CEO of Fandango, added: “My Brilliant Friend continues its journey. It is a joy and a privilege to work at such a high level of quality, creating and producing a popular show, loved and followed by such a large audience.”