TORONTO – CBC and Netflix are joining forces with Halfire Entertainment to adapt Margaret Atwood’s award-winning novel Alias Grace into a new six-hour miniseries.
Inspired by the historical true story of convicted murderer Grace Marks and based on Atwood’s novel, the series is being written and produced by Sarah Polley (Looking for Alaska, Take this Waltz, Away from Her) and will be directed by Mary Harron (American Psycho, I Shot Andy Warhol). Production is scheduled to begin in Ontario this August.
Alias Grace will be broadcast in Canada on CBC and will stream globally on Netflix.
"We’re beyond thrilled to collaborate with this amazingly talented team of Canadian women to bring Sarah Polley’s stunning script to Canadian audiences,” said CBC Television’s programming GM Sally Catto, in the news release. “This important work tells the story of a complex woman, and I can’t imagine a more exceptional team to bring Margaret Atwood’s novel to the screen.”
"The opportunity to be involved with Alias Grace and world class storytellers was an opportunity we could not pass up,” added Netflix VP of content Elizabeth Bradley. "We are looking forward to working with our partners at Halfire Entertainment and CBC to bring this compelling miniseries to our worldwide audience."
The story of Alias Grace follows Grace Marks, a poor, young Irish immigrant and domestic servant in Upper Canada who, along with stable hand James McDermott, was convicted of the brutal murders of their employer, Thomas Kinnear, and his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery, in 1843. James was hanged while Grace was sentenced to life imprisonment. Grace became one of the most enigmatic and notorious women of 1840s Canada for her supposed role in the sensational double murder, and was eventually exonerated after 30 years in jail. Her conviction was controversial, and sparked much debate about whether Grace was actually involved in the murder, or merely an unwitting accessory.
