Lifetime Greenlights ‘Flowers In The Attic’ Prequel Miniseries Adaptation

V.C. Andrews' notorious Flowers of the Attic saga is returning to Lifetime. The network has greenlighted Flowers In The Attic: The Origin, a four-part prequel miniseries event starring Jemima Rooper (Gold Digger) and Max Irons (Condor), from Paul Sciarrotta (Jane the Virgin), Jennie Snyder Urman and Joanna Klein’s Sutton St. Productions and CBS Studios. Flowers in the Attic: The Origin is an A+E Studios production in association with Sutton St. and CBS Studios.

Kelsey Grammer (Frasier), Harry Hamlin (Mad Men), Kate Mulgrew (Orange is the New Black), Paul Wesley (The Vampire Diaries), Alana Boden (I Am Elizabeth Smart), Hannah Dodd (Harlots), T’Shan Williams (The Color Purple) and Callum Kerry (Four Weddings and a Funeral) also star in the miniseries which is based on the prequel novel, Garden of Shadows by Andrew Neiderman.

Author V.C. Andrews launched a pop culture sensation with the gothic tale Flowers in the Attic. Flowers in the Attic: The Origin peels back the curtain to reveal the twisted origins and dark secrets of the Foxworth family.

The miniseries greenlight follows on the success of Lifetime’s Flowers in the Attic and subsequent V.C. Andrews movie series franchises. The movie events Flowers in the Attic and Petals on the Wind were cable’s top two movies of 2014 with women, while Flowers in the Attic has reached over 30.1M2 total viewers and Petals on the Wind seen by 23.4M3 total viewers.

Flowers in the Attic: The Origin tells the story of the headstrong and determined Olivia Winfield (Rooper) who is working alongside her beloved father (Hamlin) when she finds herself unexpectedly wooed by one of the nation’s most eligible bachelors, Malcom Foxworth (Irons). After a whirlwind romance, Olivia finds herself as the mistress of the imposing Foxworth Hall, where she soon discovers that the fairytale life she expected has quickly become a nightmare. Under Malcolm’s debonair exterior lies a dark heart, and a twisted evil lurks inside Foxworth Hall that will threaten Olivia’s happiness and that of her children. Her attempts to keep them all safe ultimately push Olivia to become to most terrifying version of herself, leading to her inevitable—and notorious—decision to lock her grandchildren in the attic.

Dodd stars as Olivia’s daughter, Corinne; while Williams portrays Foxworth’s long-time staff member and Olivia’s observant housekeeper, Nella. Mulgrew plays Mrs. Steiner, Malcom’s loyal house manager and head of the Foxworth Hall staff. Grammer portrays Malcom’s illustrious father Garland Foxworth, who is married to new wife Alicia, played by Boden. Wesley stars as John Amos, Olivia’s cousin whose revelations change her life forever and Callum Kerr stars as Christopher, a close relative of the Foxworth family whose life will be eternally intertwined with Corrine’s from the moment they set eyes on each other.

Additional talent includes Luke Fetherston, Buck Braithwaite, Jordan Peters, Evelyn Miller, Rawdat Quadri, Emmanuel Ogunjinmi, David Witts, Carla Woodcock and Peter Bramhill. There has been no confirmation if Heather Graham or Ellen Burstyn will be reprising their roles of older Corrine and Olivia as a cameo or to tie-in the events to the 2014-15 movie series, but that may not be doable with their respective schedules. However, the creatives have a much longer run time to explore these character arcs with four episodes to dedicate to how Olivia became the cruel and emotionally detached grandmother.

Sciarrotta serves as executive producer. Urman and Klein serve as executive producers for Sutton St. Productions and CBS Studios. Zoë Rocha serves as executive producer for RubyRock Pictures, Gary Pearl executive produces for Aquarius Content and Dan Angel executive produces. Declan O’Dwyer also executive produces and directed part one and part two of the miniseries. Robin Sheppard serves as director for parts three and four. Scripts are from executive producer Sciarrotta, as well as Amy Rardin and Conner Good. The miniseries was made with support of the Romanian Government.