Netflix has officially commissioned The Boys From Brazil, a limited series adapted from Ira Levin’s 1976 novel and led by an impressive ensemble cast including Jeremy Strong and Gillian Anderson. The project marks Peter Morgan’s next major outing with the streamer following his acclaimed six-season run on The Crown.
Strong, who has been attached since early development, will play Nazi hunter Yakov Liebermann, a man who uncovers a chilling plot: Dr Josef Mengele, Auschwitz’s infamous “Angel of Death”, is attempting to resurrect the Third Reich. The cast will also feature August Diehl, Daniel Brühl, Shira Haas, Lizzy Caplan, and Anderson.
Alex Gabassi, known for his work on The Crown and Black Doves, will direct the series, which begins filming in December across the UK, Bulgaria, and Spain.
Suzanne Mackie, executive producer and founder of Orchid Pictures, expressed excitement about reuniting with Morgan on a major new project. “Building on his extraordinary work with The Crown, Peter continues to examine the political and emotional forces that have shaped the world we live in,” she said. “He does so through intimate human stories set against the sweep of history, which makes his storytelling profoundly relatable. We’re thrilled to have such an exceptional team, both on and off screen, and to collaborate once again with the incredibly talented Alex Gabassi. We can’t wait to bring Peter Morgan’s bold reimagining of The Boys From Brazil to life.”
Morgan, who previously explored real-world history through The Crown, is now venturing into alternate-history territory. He will executive produce the limited series alongside Mackie and Simon Heath of World Productions. Producers Oona O’Beirn and Andy Stebbing, both of whom worked with Morgan on The Crown, are also part of the creative team.
Levin’s novel was famously adapted once before, into a 1978 film starring Laurence Olivier as Liebermann and Gregory Peck as Mengele, earning three Academy Award nominations. Netflix’s new take promises to revisit the material with fresh urgency and a contemporary lens.