Netflix Picks Up ‘Ratched’, ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ Prequel From Ryan Murphy
Ryan Murphy is reteaming with American Horror/Crime Story actress Sarah Paulson who takes the lead as the heartless Nurse ‘Ratched‘ in his prequel to ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ for Netflix it has been announced.
The story will begin in 1947 and follow Ratched as she progresses through the mental health care system, and turns from your average, everyday nurse, into the tyrannical, cold-hearted monster of Salem State Hospital.
The show was picked up by Murphy, who is set to exec produce, but was created by Evan Romansky, a recent film graduate who wrote the script on spec. Murphy has a history of nurturing new talent, but that’s an impressive gig to land straight out of the gate!
Ken Kesey’s original novel of ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ was published in 1962, but it’s the classic 1975 movie starring Jack Nicholson to which most people are probably more familiar. The film was produced by Michael Douglas, who will join Murphy in exec producing the tv series, alongside Paul Zaentz of the Saul Zaentz Company, who owns the rights to the feature. The film went on to win 5 Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay Best Actor (Nicholson, obviously!), and Best Actress for Louise Fletcher who played Ratched.
Sarah Paulson been picking up awards herself, having won an Emmy for her role as Marcia Clark in Murphy’s ‘The People Vs. OJ’, and she returns to Murphy’s ‘American Horror Story: Cult’ which airs Friday, 8th September 2017 at 10pm on FOX UK.
Netflix has ordered 18 episodes straight-to-series of ‘Ratched‘ to air over 2 seasons.
