Netflix has given a series order to the YA vampire drama “First Kill,” with Emma Roberts set to executive produce.
The one-hour show is based on the short story of the same name by Victoria “V.E.” Schwab that was published in the Imprint story collection “Vampire Never Get Old: Tales with Fresh Bite” back in September. Netflix has ordered eight episodes.
In the show, when it’s time for teenage vampire Juliette to make her first kill so she can take her place among a powerful vampire family, she sets her sights on a new girl in town named Calliope. But much to Juliette’s surprise, Calliope is a vampire hunter, from a family of celebrated slayers. Both find that the other won’t be so easy to kill and, unfortunately, way too easy to fall for.
Schwab created the series and will serve as co-writer and executive producer. Felicia D. Henderson will serve as co-writer, executive producer, and showrunner. Roberts and Karah Preiss will executive produce under their Belletrist Productions banner.
According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, Belletrist outbid nearly two dozen other groups that were pursuing the rights to the story. It marks the latest literary adaptation for the company, which started out as a book club founded by Roberts and Preiss. It was announced in September that the company had signed a first-look deal at Hulu that would focus on literary adaptations.
Roberts is repped by CAA, Sweeney Entertainment, and Felker Toczek.
Henderson’s past credits include the Marvel-Netflix series “The Punisher,” “Empire” and “Fringe” at Fox, and the sitcoms “Moesha” and “Everybody Hates Chris.” She is repped by UTA and Epidemic Pictures & Management.
“First Kill” marks the first of Schwab’s works to get a series greenlight, though other projects of hers have been developed over the years. The CW previously developed series versions of her works “The Archived” as well as “City of Ghosts.” She is repped by CAA and Root Literary.