Halia Abdel-Meguid Writing Netflix, Duffer Bros Series

Back in July, Stranger Things creators Matt Duffer & Ross Duffer made some pretty big news when they announced that they had formed Upside Down Pictures and were committing several projects to Netflix. And the line-up was impressive, beginning with a live-action series adaptation of the popular Japanese manga and anime Death Note (originally written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata). And that wasn’t all, with an original series on the way from creators Jeffrey Addiss & Will Matthews (Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance). And for you Stephen King fans out there, the duo is developing a series adaptation of King and Peter Straub‘s 1984 novel The Talisman, stemming from Stranger Things‘ Co-EP & writer Curtis Gwinn, Steven Spielberg‘s Amblin Entertainment, and Paramount Television. Now, Deadline Hollywood is reporting exclusively that Halia Abdel-Meguid (writing consultant, The Talisman) has been tapped to write & executive produce Death Note.

As for the show that everyone’s still talking about, Upside Down Pictures will also be the home of the Duffer Brothers’ planned Stranger Things spinoff, based on an original idea from them and 21 Laps co-producing. But the ST universe won’t just remain on the screen, with a new stage play set within the show’s universe, produced by prolific UK-based stage producer Sonia Friedman, Stephen Daldry, and Netflix, with Daldry (The Crown, Billy Elliot, The Reader) set to direct and 21 Laps serving as associate producer. “It didn’t take long into our first meeting with Hilary, where we bonded over films like ‘Jaws,’ ‘Home Alone,’ and ‘Speed,’ to know we had found a kindred spirit,” Matt Duffer & Ross Duffer said in a statement about the appointment of Hilary Leavitt (Orphan Black, Ozark, The Great, Shining Girls) to lead the company. “Hilary’s passion for storytelling is perhaps matched only by her passion for the storytellers themselves, for whom she is fiercely protective. No wonder so many writers and directors are drawn to working with her. She is a rare talent indeed, and we feel extremely grateful to have her at our side as we build Upside Down Pictures.”