Netflix Orders 'Prep' Series Starring Curtis Sittenfeld's Bestseller

Netflix has ordered a series adaptation of Curtis Sittenfeld's 2005 novel, Prep.

The streamer will move directly to series production for the project. It marks a major addition to their young adult lineup. The story follows Lee Fiora, a scholarship student from Indiana who attends the prestigious Ault school in Massachusetts.

Nicole Taylor, known for One Day, will write the adaptation and serve as showrunner. She will also executive produce the show. Will Ferrell, Jessica Elbaum, and Alix Taylor of Gloria Sanchez Productions are attached as executive producers. Sittenfeld is also serving as an executive producer.

Taylor said she has wanted to adapt the book for 20 years. She described the novel as a truthful depiction of a bookish, self-conscious adolescent girl. She called it an excoriating look at the perils of social mobility. Sittenfeld, who is now 51, said the 22-year wait was worth it. She noted that Taylor's scripts help her understand her own novel better.

The novel was published in 2005 and became a bestseller with critical acclaim. It centers on Fiora navigating high school as an outsider among wealthier classmates. The project aims to be the first Sittenfeld novel adapted for the screen. New Line and Hello Sunshine are developing a film based on her 2024 book, Romantic Comedy. Hulu attempted to adapt Rodham in 2020, but that project did not pass the development stage.