https://www.cbr.com/adolescence-threads-adaptation/
Netflix’s new limited series Adolescence, starring Stephen Graham (Peaky Blinders has been a hit for the streamer, and now the production company behind the series is set to adapt a 1980s movie into a television drama. Warp Films, which also produces the thriller Reunion for the BBC, has acquired the option to develop Threads, a 1984 apocalyptic thriller, into a series, per The Hollywood Reporter.
In a statement, Warp Films commented on acquiring the rights to Threads, saying, “Renowned for its groundbreaking portrayal of a fictional apocalypse, Threads offers a harrowing depiction of life in nuclear war-era Britain, set in Sheffield.” Warp Films is also based in Sheffield. “This adaptation will explore prescient issues through rich, character-driven storytelling. The original film’s chilling account immerses viewers in the struggles of ordinary people facing unimaginable hardship,” stated Warp Films.
Threads follows two young lovers, Ruth (Karen Meagher) and Jimmy (Reece Dinsdale), as they decide to get married after Ruth becomes pregnant. Set in Sheffield, the couple is threatened when the Soviet Union and the United States go to war. Ruth and Jimmy become separated as fallout spreads from a nuclear attack that destroys a NATO base near Sheffield, and Ruth must try to survive alone in the aftermath of the nuclear war.
Threads is Perfect for Warp Films, Says Founder
The original film was directed by Mick Jackson, who has also directed films like The Bodyguard (1992), Volcano (1997), and Temple Grandin (2010). Barry Hines wrote the script.
Founder and CEO of Warp Films, Mark Herbert, said of the original film, “Threads was, and remains, an unflinchingly honest drama that imagines the devastating effects of nuclear conflict on ordinary people. This story aligns perfectly with our ethos of telling powerful, grounded narratives that deeply connect with audiences. Reimagining this classic film as a TV drama gives us a unique opportunity to explore its modern relevance.”
Emily Feller, CCO and executive producer at Warp Films added, “Threads is clearly a deeply impactful story and right now, it feels more relevant than ever. This adaptation will allow us to uncover fresh interpretations in light of today’s world. We imagine highlighting how resilience and connection can offer hope even in the most challenging of times. Through this lens, an adaptation of the incredible film can reexamine its significance for then and for now - allowing us to engage with a modern audience.”
Adolescence Has Been a Hit for Warp Films
Warp Films’ Adolescence, which streams on Netflix, follows a 13-year-old schoolboy named Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), who seems like a normal teenager until he is arrested for murdering a female classmate. Adolescence was created by Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Enola Holmes). Philip Barantini (Boiling Point) directed the four episodes of the series.
Adolescence is unique in that Barantini shot the series in real-time. Netflix, in a Q&A on X, talked about filming the series, saying, “Each episode was genuinely filmed in real-time in one continuous shot. We promise!” Netflix’s X statement continued, “It was initially planned that they would film each episode in full 10 times (once in the morning, once in the afternoon, across five days) - but in reality, a few attempts had to be abandoned and restarted, so some episodes had many more than 10 takes.
The Netflix Series has a Nearly-Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score
Currently, Adolescence has a 99% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 74% audience score. Graham, in a previous interview, said while the show is fictional, it draws on actual events for inspiration. “I read an article about a young boy stabbing a young girl,” Graham told The Independent. “And then maybe a couple of months later, on the news, there was (another) young boy who’d stabbed a young girl, and if I’m really honest with you, they hurt my heart,” he continued.
Graham added that one goal of the show is “…just being mindful of the fact that not only we parent our children, and not only the school educates our children. But, also there’s influences that we have no idea of that are having profound effects, positive and extremely negative. So it’s having a look at that and seeing that we’re all accountable.”
No word on when or where the Threads TV series will air as the rights were just acquired by Warp Films. The 1984 Threads film is streaming on Tubi.
