Florian Zeller, the French filmmaker behind the Oscar-winning “The Father” and “The Son,” is set to make his TV debut with the adaptation of Stefano Massini’s play “The Lehman Trilogy.”

Zeller will write, direct and co-produce the series under his newly formed Blue Morning. Lorenzo Mieli at The Apartment Pictures, a Fremantle company, and Domenico Procacci at Fandango are executive producing the series. The pair previously teamed on the acclaimed series “My Brilliant Friend” based on the Elena Ferrante novels.

Massini’s epic drama charts the history of one of the global financial institutions that helped spark the 2008 recession. The original production inspired Sam Mendes to stage an English-language version of Massini’s five-hour play. Adapted by Ben Power, the production won five Tony Awards earlier this year, including prizes for Sam Mendes’ direction and for the lead performance of Simon Russell Beale.

“The Lehman Trilogy” comes on the heels of the world premiere of Zeller’s “The Son,” starring Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern and Vanessa Kirby at the Venice Film Festival. It will mark the first project produced by Zeller’s new banner Blue Morning Pictures, which is backed by Mediawan.

Zeller made his directorial debut with “The Father,” based on his play of the same name, starring Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman. The film received six Oscar nominations, including best picture, with Zeller co-winning best adapted screenplay and Anthony Hopkins winning best actor. 

“’The Lehman Trilogy’ is a fascinating tale of family and power which spans decades in an ever changing social and political landscape in America,” said Zeller. “I could not dream of a richer canvas on which to work and so grateful to everyone who made this a reality.”

Mieli, producer and CEO of The Apartment, said he was “excited to see the brilliant and unexpected way he will reinvent Stefano Massini’s beautiful and award-winning play for the screen.”

“I find it interesting and stimulating that it will be, once again, a great European writer telling the life and death of an institution symbol of the great power and also the shocking fragility of the American dream for over a century,” Mieli continued.

Procacci, producer and Fandango CEO, said “Stefano Massini wrote such a strongly original and wonderfully unique text. It takes genius to handle such valuable narrative material. I am delighted that Florian Zeller has decided to dedicate his enormous talent to making those same pages become a series that now has every chance to become memorable.”

Zeller is represented by CAA and Adequat in France, as well as attorneys Carlos Goodman and Mitch Smelkinson at Goodman Genow Schenkman Smelkinson & Christopher.

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