“Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown,” Pedro Almodóvar’s hit dark comedy starring Carmen Maura and Fernando Guillén, will be adapted for an Apple TV Plus series.
Gina Rodriguez is attached to star as Pepa Marcos, Maura’s original role in the 1988 film, and Almodóvar is slated to executive produce the show via his El Deseo banner. Rodriguez, in addition to being cast as a lead, will also executive produce via her I Can and I Will Productions banner alongside partner Molly Breeskin.
The Hollywood Reporter, which was the first to report the news, was told by sources that the movie’s adaptation will be bilingual — a mix of English and Spanish. Currently, Almodóvar’s first English-language movie, “A Manual for Cleaning Women” starring Cate Blanchett, is in the early stages of development.
“Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown” (“Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios”) is what elevated the Spanish film director to internationally recognized superstar after it earned five Goya Awards and a New York Film Awards win, as well as Academy Award, Golden Globes and BAFTA nominations. The feature also starred Antonio Banderas and Julieta Serrano. Lately, Almodóvar has been dipping his toes in the TV landscape for the first time in his career— not just with this Apple TV Plus series, but also with the forthcoming docuseries “Not a Bride” for Paramount Plus, which he is producing with Penélope Cruz.
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Along with Almodóvar and Rodriguez, Eugenio Derbez will also executive produce the TV treatment via his 3Pas Studios and production partner Ben Odell. Derbez’s latest foray in Apple TV Plus’ series slate was starring on “Acapulco,” shortly after starring in the streamer’s film “Coda.” Lionsgate Television, where Derbez has an overall deal, is set to produce the show with Sonia Gambaro co-producing. If “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown” moves on at Apple past the development stage, Noelle Valdivia, known best for her work on “Masters of Sex” and “Smash,” will serve as showrunner and scriptwriter.
Almodóvar is repped by CAA; Derbez is repped by UTA and Behr Abramson; Rodriguez is repped by WME and Jackoway Austen.
