Harry & Meghan working on ‘Great Expectations’ spin-off for Netflix
Harry & Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are working on a “Great Expectations” spin-off show for Netflix as part of their deal with the streaming service but have had various other pitches rejected.
The couple signed a rumoured $100 million deal with the streaming service when they stepped down as senior royals to move to California three years ago, and though their agreement has so far only yielded the ‘Harry + Meghan’ fly-on-the-wall docuseries and another documentary program, ‘Live to Lead’, there are other ventures in the pipeline.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan’s Archewell company are making ‘Bad Manners’, a prequel based on Charles Dickens’ classic character Miss Havisham but with the lonely spinster reimagined as a strong woman living in a patriarchal society, though the show has yet to be greenlit.
Harry’s documentary series about the Invictus Games is also near completion, however, Meghan’s animated children’s series ‘Pearl’ was canceled last May, and the couple has also had a number of other proposals quashed.
The outlet reports their suggestions seemed designed to replicate already-successful shows on Netflix, including a sitcom “described as ‘Emily in Paris’, but about a man” and an LGBTQ+ show that would be family-friendly, which was seen as too similar to ‘Heartstopper’.
Despite the knock-backs, both Harry and Meghan – who have Prince Archie, four, and Princess Lilibet, two, together – and Netflix remain happy with the deal.
A spokesperson for Archewell said: “New companies often make changes in their start-up phase, both with people and strategy, and we are no exception. We’re more equipped, focused and energized than ever before.”
She also noted the company had recently hired actress and producer Tracy Ryerson as head of scripted content.
Meanwhile, Netflix’s representative highlighted the fact ‘Harry + Meghan’ had been their biggest documentary debut and insisted they valued the partnership with Archewell.
The spokesperson added: “We’ll continue to work together on a number of projects.”
