The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is highly regarded as one of the best classic novels of all time. The acclaim for the novel has resulted in numerous adaptations, with another one now in the works courtesy of Netflix. The latest adaptation will be titled The Grays and, according to Deadline, will tell “a contemporary take” on the Oscar Wilde classic, revolving around siblings Basil and Dorian Gray himself. Much like the source material and the various adaptations that have followed, the series will once again explore the obsession with eternal youth and beauty, but this time in a modern world.

The acclaimed 1891 novel was the only novel written by Irish writer Oscar Wilde. The story revolves around a portrait of Dorian Gray, painted by Basil, a “friend” in the novel, who is obsessed with his beauty. Believing that beauty is the only thing worth pursuing in life, Dorian then sells his soul to keep his youthful looks and ensure the picture will age and fade instead of him. Thus, the portrait showcases his sins and ages through time. Lost in his delusion, Dorian eliminates anyone who tries to intervene in his life and uncover his secret.

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The series is set to be produced by siblings Katie Rose Rogers and Robbie Rogers for Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television. The sibling pair have previously worked together on the Emmy-nominated series Fellow Travelers. Rina Mimoun is the showrunner on the series and will also executive produce alongside director Lee Toland Krieger, Berlanti Productions’ own Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and Leigh London Redman.

Mimoun is fresh off serving as executive producer and showrunner on Berlanti Productions’ Max series The Girls On The Bus. Krieger has been executive producer/director on Netflix’s successful series’ You, Dead Boy Detectives and Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina. He also worked on CW’s Superman & Lois and the upcoming Brilliant Minds for NBC. On Netflix, Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. are also partnered up for the high-profile Scooby-Doo! The Live-Action Series which was first announced in April and is set for a 2025 release.

The Continuing Appeal of Book to Screen Adaptations

The Picture of Dorian Gray has been adapted multiple times for television and film. Previous prominent film adaptations were in 1945 and 2009, and a television series in 2004. The novel has been subject to numerous controversies and analysis for its societal influences. In addition to this classic novel, which will get a modern twist in The Grays, other classics have been deemed deserving of new film adaptations as well.

Adapting novels for both the big and small screen continues to be a popular approach, and have resulted in several hits recently. Netflix’s recent addition of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is one such example, with Colleen Hoover’s It Ends With Us starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni having also reached several milestones at the box office…despite all the backstage drama.

This year has offered up plenty of book-to-screen adaptations, such as Hulu’s Shōgun, Paramount+’s A Gentleman in Moscow, Peacock’s Apples Never Fall, and Max’s film Turtles All the Way Down. Notable upcoming adaptations include the series The Perfect Couple out on Netflix on Sept. 6, and the Wicked adaptation, which is set for theatrical release on November 22.