Netflix Takes U.S. Rights to Jack Thorne’s Lord of the Flies Series

Netflix has picked up the U.S. rights to Sony Pictures Television’s limited series adaptation of Lord of the Flies, written by Jack Thorne (Adolescence, His Dark Materials, Enola Holmes).

Produced by Eleven (Sex Education, Ten Pound Poms) and directed by Marc Munden (Utopia, National Treasure), the series marks the first-ever television adaptation of William Golding’s classic novel about a group of young boys who find themselves stranded on a tropical island.

In an attempt to remain civil, the boys organize themselves, led by Ralph and supported by the group’s intellectual, Piggy. But Jack, who is put in charge of signal fire duty, becomes more interested in hunting and vying for leadership and begins to draw the other boys away from order and into chaos.

The four-part series launched on the BBC in the U.K. and Stan in Australia on February 8. Sony Pictures Television has also finalized licensing agreements with Sky (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy), CBC (English Canada), Radio-Canada (French Canada), TVNZ (New Zealand), Sýn (Iceland), U-NEXT (Japan), Yes (Israel), Globoplay (Brazil), Telia (Estonia), Telia Play (Lithuania), Tet+ (Latvia), HBO and HBO Max (CEE, Poland) and beIN (MENA). Additional deals are expected to be announced soon.

“Jack Thorne’s contemporary take on this timeless story is, in one word, powerful,” said Mike Wald, co-president of distribution and networks at Sony Pictures Television. “This first-ever television adaptation of the iconic novel delivers on every level, including its cinematic scope and transportive music, and we are thrilled with the incredible response that we have seen from buyers in every market.”