Netflix’s long-awaited adaptation of a BookTok sensation has taken an exciting step forward with the appointment of a new director. In recent years, the influence of TikTok’s BookTok community has led to a surge in book-to-screen adaptations, such as Hulu’s TV series Normal People, adapted from Sally Rooney’s novel, and Prime Video’s Red, White & Royal Blue (2023). The adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s It Ends With Us became a runaway box office success in 2024, earning nearly $350 million globally and solidifying the demand for book adaptations fueled by TikTok’s pᴀssionate fanbase.
The boom in BookTok-driven adaptations has already yielded several major hits across streaming platforms. Netflix’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before became a defining YA romance franchise with a heartfelt story of high school infatuations, leading to a thriving spin-off (XO, Kitty). The sophomore season of Netflix’s fantasy show Shadow and Bone remained in Netflix’s Global Top 10 for five weeks after its release in 2023. Now, another beloved novel is taking a major step forward in its journey to the screen, adding to Netflix’s expanding slate of high-profile literary adaptations.
The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo Gets A New Director
Maggie Betts Takes The Helm
Netflix’s adaptation of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo has found its new director in Maggie Betts. The film, based on Taylor Jenkins Reid’s best-selling novel, delves into the life of the 1950s Hollywood starlet Evelyn Hugo as she recounts her rise to fame and her seven marriages to an unknown journalist. The novel gained widespread popularity—thanks to BookTok—for its exploration of love, queerness, and the sacrifices Evelyn took to maintain her status in the entertainment industry.
According to ᴅᴇᴀᴅline, Maggie Betts will direct and co-write the screenplay with Liz Tigelaar, the showrunner of Little Fires Everywhere. This development follows the departure of Leslye Headland (The Acolyte), who was initially attached to the project. Betts is best known for her work on the legal drama The Burial, which starred Tommy Lee Jones and Jamie Foxx. Her debut feature, Novitiate, earned a Grand Jury Prize nomination at the Sundance Film Festival, following a young nun (Margaret Qualley) who starts to question her faith amid insтιтutional changes in the Catholic Church.
Our Take On The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo’s New Director
A Promising Direction For A Beloved Story
The appointment of Maggie Betts as the new director for The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is an exciting development for fans of the novel. The upcoming book adaptation has been in the works since 2022 and faced a significant setback when Leslye Headland stepped away last month. While some feared the project might stall indefinitely, Betts’ involvement signals that Netflix remains committed to bringing the beloved story to the screen.
Betts’ gritty directorial style, combined with Tigelaar’s expertise in book-to-film adaptations, gives hope that The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is in good hands.
With BookTok driving continued enthusiasm for the novel, it makes sense for Netflix to keep momentum going rather than leaving the adaptation in limbo. Betts’ gritty directorial style, combined with Tigelaar’s expertise in book-to-film adaptations, gives hope that The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is in good hands. If production progresses smoothly, fans may not have to wait too much longer before seeing Evelyn Hugo’s glamorous life unfold on screen.
Source: ᴅᴇᴀᴅline
