Netflix buys dramatic rights to Smale's Geek Girl series

Netflix has bought the dramatic rights to Holly Smale’s bestselling teenage books Geek Girl (HarperCollins).

Rights were sold by Kate Shaw at The Shaw Agency and Rebecca Watson at Valerie Hoskins Associates to Jeff Norton at Waterside Studios (part of Corus Entertainment).

The series will be developed into 10 episodes of 30 minutes each by Waterside Studios, in collaboration with Nelvana, and produced by RubyRock Pictures (UK) and Aircraft Pictures (Canada). It will premiere globally on Netflix and on Corus Entertainment’s broadcast platforms in Canada. 

Based on Smale’s life, Geek Girl follows an awkward, neurodivergent teenager called Harriet whose life is turned upside down when she is scouted to become a model. A teenage model herself, Smale was diagnosed as autistic at the age of 39 and wanted to incorporate this into her books. Her series of six novels, two novellas and one World Book Day book was released in the UK nearly a decade ago and has been translated into 28 languages. 

Shaw and Watson said they were struck by Harriet’s "strong and unique voice". "[We] are thrilled to have found the perfect partners to bring Holly’s novel to the screen,” they added. 

Smale’s first novel for adults, The Cassandra Complex, will be published this spring by Century in the UK and Mira in the US (as Cassandra in Reverse). It is described as a high-concept comedic novel with a neurodivergent heroine at its heart. German, Dutch and Finnish rights are already sold.