Netflix has given the go-ahead (Straight-to-Series) to a project that has Selena Gomez as its executive producer, says The Hollywood Reporter. With this Netflix series, Selena will make a comeback to the small screen.
Netflix growing its originals portfolio
Gomez’s series will be based on the best-selling young adult novel 13 Reasons Why by the author Jay Asher. The writer and creator of the upcoming series, which will run for 13 episodes, is Pulitzer Prize winner Brian Yorkey.
In 2012, Universal also opted for 13 Reasons Why, hoping to turn the series into a starring vehicle for Gomez. The story revolves around a shy high-school student in California who comes across a box of cassette tapes lying on his doorstep. A classmate of his, Hannah Baker, for whom he had feelings and who committed suicide, recorded those tapes.
The student finds instructions with the tapes and a list of students to whom the tapes are to be passed on to like a chain letter. Those recordings have an explanation for the 13 students about their role in her death.
Netflix is adding original dramas at a fast pace, and the series 13 Reasons Why is the addition to its other original shows such as House of Cards, Bloodline, Marco Polo, Sense8, Between, Narcos, Club de Cuervos and the Marvel series that include Daredevil and Jessica Jones, which will come soon.
Gomez making a comeback
Gomez has plans to co-produce the show with Mandy Teefey, Kristel Laiblin and Anonymous Content. This Netflix series marks the first major executive producer credit for Gomez.
Wizards of Waverly Place in 2012 was Gomez’s breakout series, after which she turned her attention to films such as Spring Breakers, Hotel Transylvania and its sequel and the upcoming movie Neighbors 2. Gomez has done well on the music front and has sold more than 22 million singles worldwide, the credit of which goes to hits like The Heart Wants What It Wants. Revival, her latest album, acquired the top spot among 200 album charts on Billboard.
Gomez started with Barney & Friends, and Disney’s Wizards of Waverly Place took her to fame. She starred in its four-season run. Gomez is very popular and has over 47 million followers on Instagram and over 300 million on Twitter.
