Fresh off its “Sound of Music” success, NBC has greenlit another “TV event” — a miniseries version of “Rosemary’s Baby” based on the 1967 horror novel by Ira Levin.
The four-hour adaptation will tell the story of a young married couple who move into a Paris apartment with a haunted past, and after the wife becomes pregnant, she becomes suspicious that her husband and neighbors have ulterior motives about her unborn child.
“Rosemary’s Baby” was also famously made into a landmark 1968 feature film by Roman Polanski that starred Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes and Ruth Gordon. Gordon won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her scene-stealing role as Minnie Castevet — the ultimate nosy, New York neighbor.
“As we move into the event movie and miniseries space, ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ represents the kind of attention-getting, surprising project that will make noise for us,” said NBC Entertainment president Jennifer Salke in a statement. “The story has been updated and moved to Paris, but it’s faithful to the spirit of Ira Levin’s classic novel. This is a compelling tale wonderfully told.”
Scott Abbott (“Introducing Dorothy Dandridge,” “Winchell”) and James Wong (“American Horror Story”) have been tapped to write the screenplay for the NBC version, which will be produced by Lionsgate Television.
Joshua Maurer, Alix Witlin and David Stern are serving as executive producers and Agnieszka Holland (“Treme”) will direct.
Casting will begin immediately and production is set to start in Paris in January.