Deadline reports that Apple TV+ is developing a television adaptation of Pedro Almodóvar‘s classic film, Woman On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown, with Gina Rodriguez set to star and executive produce. The series will be based on the 1988 black comedy starring Carmen Maura and Antonio Banderas, which brought Almodóvar acclaim when the film was featured at the 45th International Venice Film Festival, where it received a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar nomination.

The series adaptation marks Almodóvar‘s first foray into scripted television after an illustrious career as a writer-director, earning seven Oscar nominations and wins for best foreign-language film for All About My Mother, and best original screenplay for Talk to Her. The news of the adaptation comes as Almodóvar is developing his first English-language feature, A Manual for Cleaning Women, with Cate Blanchett attached to star.

The film tells the story of Pepe (Maura) who, alongside a cast of wild characters, tries to balance life, love and other complications in Spain in 1987. Rodriguez is set to play Pepe in the television adaptation, which will feature a mix of English and Spanish. This new adaptation will allow the black comedy to come back to life for a new era of viewers, giving many more a chance to appreciate the original film all the more.

The series hails from Almodóvar‘s El Deseo banner, alongside Rodriguez‘s I Can and I Will Productions, 3Pas Studios and Lionsgate TV. Noelle Valdivia will pen the series adaptation. Almodóvar will executive produce for El Deseo, along with Rodriguez and Molly Breeskin for Rodriguez’s production company. 3Pas Studios’ Eugenio Derbez and Ben Odell will also executive produce with Sonia Gambaro set to co-produce. The series is produced by Lionsgate TV, where Derbez is under an overall deal.

via Collider