Jonathan Franzen’s bestselling novel The Corrections is heading to the small screen with Meryl Streep set to star. The celebrated author is adapting the book for television, with CBS Studios backing the project. Executive producer Mark Roybal of wiip is also on board as the show prepares to be shopped to networks and streaming platforms, Variety reports.
The Corrections marks another addition to Streep’s impressive lineup of television projects. The Academy Award winner appeared in Seasons 3 and 4 of Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building and starred in HBO’s Big Little Lies, Extrapolations, and Angels in America. Released in 2001, Franzen’s critically acclaimed novel won the National Book Award that same year and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize in 2002. The story centers on an elderly Midwestern woman’s desperate attempt to reunite with her three adult children amid their father’s declining health, with Streep likely set to portray the family matriarch.
This is not the first effort to adapt the book for film or television, as Variety reports that a film version was previously in development but never came to fruition. HBO shot a pilot in 2011 featuring Chris Cooper, Dianne Wiest, Ewan McGregor, and Maggie Gyllenhaal but ultimately decided not to move forward with the series. After Paramount TV Studios canceled their version in August, CBS Studios picked it up.
There is no streaming service or network currently attached to The Corrections series, but it will soon be pitched to potential buyers. This latest adaptation marks Franzen’s debut in TV writing, and he will serve as an executive producer for the series. A CBS Studios rep confirmed that the project is in its “very, very early” stages, with no release date on the horizon.
What is ‘The Corrections’ About?
The Corrections is considered one of the greatest novels of the 21st century and was once at the center of a feud between Franzen and Oprah Winfrey. The story unpacks the lives and familial journey of Enid and Alfred Lambert, who decide to reunite with their children for one last Christmas together. While Enid yearns for happiness, Alfred grapples with the effects of Parkinson’s disease and dementia, and their children are overwhelmed by personal struggles. The novel’s official synopsis reads:
“After almost fifty years as a wife and mother, Enid Lambert is ready to have some fun. Unfortunately, her husband, Alfred, is losing his sanity to Parkinson’s disease, and their children have long since flown the family nest to the catastrophes of their own lives. The oldest, Gary, a once-stable portfolio manager and family man, is trying to convince his wife and himself that, despite certain alarming indicators, he is not clinically depressed. The middle child, Chip, has lost his seemingly secure academic job and is failing spectacularly at his new line of work. And Denise, the youngest, has escaped a disastrous marriage only to pour her youth and beauty down the drain of an affair with a married man―or so her mother fears. Desperate for some pleasure to look forward to, Enid has set her heart on an elusive goal: bringing her family together for one last Christmas at home.”
Family dysfunction and the struggle to overcome past mistakes are central themes of The Corrections. Having Streep on board for the series should appeal to fans of the book and new readers, while Franzen’s direct involvement ensures it stays authentic to the story.