‘Dark Places’: Gillian Flynn Novel is Getting a Series Adaption!!

After the success of Sharp Objects, author Gillian Flynn is partnering with HBO again. The network will adapt her 2009 mystery novel Dark Places into an upcoming miniseries. Variety reports that Flynn will serve as co-creator, writer, and co-showrunner on the series, with Brett Johnson (Escape at Dannemora) co-showrunning, co-creating, and writing, and Guerrin Gardner co-creating and writing as well.

This is the second time Dark Places has been adapted for the screen. In the wake of the runaway success of Gone Girl, David Fincher‘s acclaimed adaptation of her 2012 novel of the same name, Flynn became a hot commodity in Hollywood, and Dark Places hit the big screen in 2015. Directed by Gilles Paquet-Brenner (Pretty Things), the film boasted a star-studded cast, with Charlize Theron in the lead role and Nicholas Hoult, Christina Hendricks, Corey Stoll, Chloë Grace Moretz, Tye Sheridan, and Drea de Matteo rounding out the supporting roles. However, reviews were unfavorable, earning the film a 23% “Rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and the film made back less than half of its $11.6 million budget at the box office. Thus, it’s understandable if Flynn wants a do-over.

What Happens in ‘Dark Places’?

Dark Places centers around Libby Day, who was the sole survivor of a ritualistic Satanic massacre that killed her mother and two sisters. In the wake of the tragedy, she accused her teenage brother Ben of being the perpetrator. After his conviction, she spent her teen years doing talk shows, but twenty-five years later, she’s running out of money when she’s approached by a mother-daughter duo of true-crime enthusiasts who believe that Ben is innocent. She agrees to meet with key figures in the case — for the right price. Soon, she reconnects with her imprisoned brother, her estranged father, and numerous other friends and acquaintances. However, she may also find herself in the crosshairs of the real killer.

HBO‘s adaptation of Flynn‘s Sharp Objects, which starred Amy Adams, Patricia Clarkson, and Chris Messina, was a critical success for the network, earning eight Emmy nominations. Flynn also wrote for the Amazon science fiction series Utopia in 2020, which was canceled after one season, and co-wrote the script for Widows with Steve McQueen. In addition to her three novels, all of which have been adapted, her short story The Grownup was optioned by Universal back in 2016.

HBO‘s adaptation of Dark Places has not yet set a release date. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates, and watch the trailer for the 2015 film adaptation of Dark Places below.