Shortly after J.K. Rowling published her first post-Harry Potter novel, The Casual Vacancy, in 2012, the acclaimed author announced plans to adapt the book for a television series set to air on the BBC. Today it was reported that HBO will partner with the BBC to co-produce a miniseries that will air in the U.S. as well the U.K.
Rowling’s already on board as executive producer of the series, as the Hollywood Reporter notes, with Sarah Phelps (EastEnders) writing the screenplay, Ruth Kenley-Letts (The Hour) producing, and Jonny Campbell (Eric & Ernie) directing. Expected to film this summer, “the harrowing portrait of addiction,” as Slate’s Dan Kois described the novel two years ago, centers on the tiny village of Pagford and its complicated web of conflicts that have torn apart the community.
There’s no word yet on when each network will premiere the miniseries —the BBC’s original 2012 announcement slated it for this year—but we do know it’ll be televised in three one-hour installments. And in case you never got around to giving the book a read, here’s what all the critics were saying about The Casual Vacancy when it first came out.
