HBO to Adapt Gillian Flynn’s Dark Places Into a Gripping Thriller Miniseries

Summary

• HBO is developing a limited series adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s thriller novel, Dark Places. 
• Gillian Flynn will serve as co-creator, writer and co-showrunner on the series, alongside Brett Johnson and Guerin Garder. 

A new series based on the novel Dark Places by Gillian Flynn is reportedly in the works on HBO. Flynn is known for her best-selling works, such as Gone Girl and Sharp Objects. 

All three of Flynn’s thriller novels have been adapted for the screen. Gone Girl was made into a film in 2014, starring Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck; the 2015 film Dark Places starred Charlize Theron, and HBO adapted Sharp Objects into the 2018 limited series of the same name. 

The adaptations of Sharp Objects and Gone Girl were received well by critics and viewers alike, while Dark Places received negative reactions. 

As per Variety, HBO is developing a new limited series based on Dark Places. Flynn is set to serve as a writer, co-creator, and showrunner on the series. Brett Johnson has also been signed on as a co-showrunner, writer, and co-creator alongside the author. Guerin Garder has also come on board as a writer for the series. 

HBO did a great job in their adaptation of Sharp Objects, so it is the right choice for them to take up Dark Places. Flynn’s novels have an eerie and thrilling vibe, which goes well with the HBO limited series format. Dark Places is a disturbing and violent novel, so it has to be adapted carefully with enough time for the narrative to build up. 

Dark Places focuses on Libby Day, a woman who lost her mother and two sisters in a massacre. Her statement leads her teenage brother Ben to be arrested as their murderer. Twenty-five years after Ben’s arrest, Libby starts realizing that Ben may have been innocent and gets more details about what happened that night. 

The novel constantly shifts between the past and present timelines, while both timelines lead to shocking ends. A limited series ensures the plot does not drag on, and people can remain hooked. 

HBO can bring in talented actors who will suit the complex characters in Flynn’s novels, just as Sharp Objects starred Amy Adams. It should also be a better adaptation than the 2015 film. Let’s hope the project turns out to be a success!