Netflix is developing Millie Bobby Brown’s first WWII novel, Nineteen Steps, into a film
The news that Millie Bobby Brown is turning her first book into a movie is further cementing her reputation as an inventive woman.
The 20-year-old Stranger Things actor, who recently gave a sneak peek at the upcoming season of the popular sci-fi show, will turn her historical novel, Nineteen Steps, into a feature film for Netflix, Deadline reports.
According to the site, the British actress is slated to star in the movie, which she will produce under her PCMA company.The screenplay will be written by Anthony McCarten, a four-time Oscar nominee. Nick Reynolds is the executive producer of Rideback, which Jonathan Eirich will produce.
Inspired by the events of Brown’s grandmother, William Morrow’s World War II novel Nineteen Steps shot to fame as a New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller when it was published in September 2023. The protagonist of Brown and Kathleen McGurl’s co-written book is eighteen-year-old Nellie Morris, who lives in Bethnal Green, East London.
Along with dealing with the challenges of war, which include rationing, bombs, and the heartbreak of being apart from loved ones, Nellie also starts a new romance with an American airman named Ray.
The Bethnal Green Tube catastrophe, one of the UK’s biggest civilian disasters of World War II, claimed the lives of 173 individuals who were seeking refuge during an air attack. This incident is a crucial part of the plot.
Brown would frequently talk about how her grandma served as the book’s inspiration while on the Nineteen Steps promotional tour. «I love the history of older people and the stories they do tell, even if they are completely made up, which sometimes they are,» she said to Woman’s Hour host Nuala McGovern. However, I hope that after reading [Nineteen Steps], you will go talk to your parents or grandparents and find out more about your family’s past.
In November 2020, Millie’s grandma Ruth passed away due to Alzheimer’s disease. The actress disclosed how she honored her grandmother’s memory during the audiobook recording process.
«I don’t know if I necessarily healed from it fully,» the star said, describing the experience of losing her as one of the hardest things she had ever gone through.I had read the book so extensively in secret that I was a little afraid to discuss it with others when I was listening to the audiobook.
«I lighted a candle and placed her picture in front of me, and for the next few weeks, I relived all of these stories while also understanding the tone in which she would tell them.»
As Eleven in the Duffer Brothers’ critically acclaimed series Stranger Things, which is set to return for its fifth and final season next year, Brown gained prominence on Netflix and has a strong connection to the platform. Brown’s most recent film role was in the fantasy picture Damsel, which debuted at No. 7 on Netflix’s Most Popular Movies list and has received 138 million views to date.
The Russo Brothers’ Netflix movie The Electric State is another significant undertaking on Brown’s schedule. The film, which stars Chris Pratt, is scheduled to release in March 2025.
