A television series based on Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is in the works, Entertainment Weekly reports.
Kesey’s novel, originally published in 1962, tells the story of Randle McMurphy, a criminal who fakes mental illness in order to serve his sentence in a mental hospital. While in the facility, he becomes embroiled in a war with Nurse Ratched, who runs the ward with an iron fist. A critic for Kirkus praised the book as “a thoroughly enthralling, brilliantly tempered novel.”
The book was memorably adapted into a 1975 film, directed by Miloš Forman and starring Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, and Will Sampson. The movie won five Academy Awards, for best picture, best director, best adapted screenplay, best actor, and best actress.
Paul Zaentz, known for his work on films including The English Patient and The Talented Mr. Ripley, is developing the new series adaptation. He previously produced the Netflix series Ratched, which examined the life of the nurse before the events of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. He is the nephew of Saul Zaentz, a producer of the 1975 film.
The series will focus on Chief Bromden, the narrator of the novel and one of Randle’s fellow patients. At the end of the book, Chief escapes from the hospital after mercy-killing Randle.
“I just signed an agreement with Ken Kesey’s widow and family to develop a television series, where we will do it through the point of view of Chief for the first season,” Zaentz told the podcast CK Café. "After the first season will be what happens to Chief after he escapes."
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
