‘Fatal Attraction’ Series Ordered at Paramount Plus, Lizzy Caplan to Star

A “Fatal Attraction” series adaptation has been ordered at Paramount Plus, with Lizzy Caplan attached in one of the lead roles.

The series is described as a deep-dive reimagining of the film that will explore the timeless themes of marriage and infidelity through the lens of modern attitudes towards strong women, personality disorders, and coercive control. Caplan will star as Alex, who becomes obsessed with her lover after a brief affair. Glenn Close played Alex in the film version, earning herself an Academy Award and Golden Globe nomination in the process. The role of Dan, played by Michael Douglas in the film, has yet to be cast.

More from Variety

• Box Office: 'Clifford the Big Red Dog' Collects $2.3 Million on Opening Day

• Jeremy Renner Suffers Through Prison Drama 'Mayor of Kingstown': TV Review

• ViacomCBS Streaming Chief Tom Ryan Sees 'Squid Game'-Sized Hit Potential

Alexandra Cunningham serves as writer, showrunner, and executive producer on the series. Kevin J. Hynes shares a co-story credit with Cunningham and will also executive produce. Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey executive produce for Amblin Television. Paramount Television Studios will produce.

“Alexandra brings an incredibly strong and nuanced point of view to a story that became a cultural phenomenon but has thus far only been told from the male gaze,” said Nicole Clemens, president of Paramount Plus original scripted series. “Partnered with Kevin, they will bring the next explosive chapter of this story to a new generation with a balanced eye to the complexities of the human psyche.”

This is not the first time in recent years that Caplan has played the TV iteration of a female film character with a violent streak. She previously starred in the second season of “Castle Rock” at Hulu in the role of Annie Wilkes, who was famously played by Kathy Bates in the 1990 film “Misery.” Caplan is also known for her starring role in the Showtime drama “Masters of Sex,” for which she received an Emmy nomination in 2014. Her other TV roles include “Truth Be Told” at Apple, “Party Down” at Starz, and the Sky series “Das Boot.” On the film side, she has starred in features such as “Cloverfield,” “Mean Girls,” “The Night Before,” and “Extinction.”

She is repped by WME, Independent Talent Group, Rise Management, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.

“Fatal Attraction” was based on the short film “Diversion” by James Dearden, who wrote the screenplay for the feature. The film became a box office smash upon its debut in 1987, grossing over $320 million worldwide. In addition to Close’s nominations, the film was nominated for Oscars and Golden Globes in the best picture, best supporting actress, and best director categories among others.

Paramount Plus originally announced that the “Fatal Attraction” series was in development in February, alongside other classic Paramount films like “Love Story,” “The Italian Job,” and “Flashdance.” Fox had attempted a series version of “Fatal Attraction” in 2015 but the project ultimately did not go forward.

Best of Variety

• The Fresh Prince Has a Memoir (And It's an Instant Best-Seller)

• What's Coming to Disney Plus in November 2021

• Everything Coming to Netflix in November 2021

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.