The TV adaptation of Elin Hilderbrand’s eponymous murder mystery book “The Perfect Couple,” could be back for Season 2 — with a new story and a new cast.
Sources say that Netflix is developing a second season of the popular series based on Hilderbrand's novel “Swan Song.” Given that the book features an entirely different story and characters than “The Perfect Couple,” also based on a Hilderbrand novel, the idea is to go the anthology route with the series.
Joanna Calo is attached to write, executive produce and showrun the new season, which has not been formally greenlit at this time.
Season 1 star Nicole Kidman will executive produce for Blossom Films along with Per Saari, with Gail Berman, Shawn Levy, Susanne Bier, and Hend Baghdady also executive producing.
Like “The Perfect Couple,” “Swan Song” takes place in Nantucket, but rather than the Winburys, the book focuses on the mysterious Richardson family.
The official description of the novel reads: “Chief of Police Ed Kapenash is about to retire. Blond Sharon is going through a divorce. But when a 22-million-dollar summer home is purchased by the mysterious Richardsons—how did they make their money, exactly?—Ed, Sharon, and everyone in the community are swept up in high drama. The Richardsons throw lavish parties, flirt with multiple locals, flaunt their wealth with not one but two yachts, and raise impossible hopes of everyone they meet. When their house burns to the ground and their most essential employee goes missing, the entire island is up in arms.”
No casting has been locked in for the series yet, though it should be noted that Kapenash was renamed Dan Carter in “The Perfect Couple” series adaptation and was played by Michael Beach.
It is unclear if the character would return in the new season.
The move to develop more stories in “The Perfect Couple” world comes as little surprise, given how popular the series was upon its debut.
The show spent six weeks in the Netflix English-language Top 10 TV chart and also topped Nielsen’s Top 10 Streaming chart when it launched.
Along with Kidman, the cast of the first season included Liev Schrieber, Eve Hewson, Billy Howle, Meghann Fahy, Donna Lynne Champlin, Jack Reynor, Dakota Fanning, and more.
Calo is no stranger to Netflix, having worked on hit shows for the streamer like “Beef,” “BoJack Horseman,” and “The Baby-Sitters Club.” “Beef” is currently prepping its second season.
She is also the co-showrunner on the hit FX/Hulu series “The Bear,” which is going into its fourth season.