Pictures via Netflix / Good Reads
As Netflix partners with the Conseil National Du Livre for a 3-day interactive event this weekend in Paris, centered on its book-based programming, it also took the opportunity to highlight two upcoming series. Here is what we learned.
The event, announced this summer, will give Netflix subscribers and fans a chance to engage with the source material of their favorite series and movies. The event is happening in the immensely popular hall of Ground Control, near the famous Gare de Lyon train station; events include a “musical reading” from You and Bridgerton with the French voiceover artists from both shows; a Roald Dahl-themed reading; and a One Piece drawing workshop. Visitors can also enjoy a 500-strong book library, featuring stands dedicated to Lupin… But also, more surprisingly, Astérix, whose animated miniseries The Big Fight is set to air in the spring of 2025.
One of the book shelves featuring books adapted into Netflix productions, or just present currently in Netflix catalogue. Cr: F.E./What’s On Netflix
An Astérix-themed installation and the complete book series are all present during the festival. Cr: F.E./What’s On Netflix
Dans Les Brumes and La Part Du Mal briefly teased
The press conference was quick to highlight the recent and upcoming best representatives for the Netflix book-to-screen extravaganza: namely East of Eden and the upcoming Pride & Prejudice. But VP of French content Pauline Dauvin was on hand to introduce a study commissioned from NielsenIQ BookData on the impact of adaptations on book sales and on the habits of French readers.
She also took the opportunity to highlight two series: first, Les Brumes, a mystery thriller based on Olivier Norek’s books and cowritten and directed by Alexandre de La Patellière and Mathieu Delaporte. Revealed last January, the series is on track for release in 2027: Norek will also be present at the event for a Q&A session. She also introduced La Part Du Mal, based on the Malin Fors books, which we told you about a few days ago; no premiere date or additional details have been revealed, but the first few pictures were teased at the event, featuring Cécile De France, Grégory Gadebois and Simon Abkarian. When asked if both projects would be miniseries or conceived to be brought back for additional investigations, Dauvin acknowledged that Les Brumes counted four other books featuring hero Victor Coste (set to be played by Pio Marmaï): “What I do want to say is: the more our subscribers love it, the more we will want to adapt further material.”
The “Netflix Effect” on book sales
The key figures for the study were tracking a panel of 1,500 readers aged 13 or more, representative of buyers of books over the past six months and users of SVOD platforms. The poll establishes the bridges between the screen adaptations and the uptick in sales of books, but also in awareness and curiosity with French readers: 64% said they took an interest in the source material, while the study found that, out of 58 Netflix adaptations released between 2017 and now, 48 were associated with an uptick in book sales.
The study did not reveal specific Netflix data, outside of an all-encompassing 9 billion views in 2025, worldwide, for this type of programming. But there is a marketing push: the little “N” sticker applied on books placed fourth in the ranking of factors drawing interest from the consumers, right after the “best-seller” mention, the award-winning quality or the famous names (69% of polled consumers).
We will have more updates on the French slate when they become available; in the meantime, you can sound off in the comments about the source material for Dans Les Brumes and La Part Du Mal.