Mara Brock Akil is returning to the silver screen with her newest project, Forever. Named and adapted from Judy Blume’s classic 1975 novel, the new series will be reimagined for Netflix.
Brock Akil, the genius behind cultural staples like Girlfriends, The Game, and Being Mary Jane, will serve as showrunner and executive producer.
“Judy Blume’s ability to capture the real emotions we experience during the various rites of passage of our youth influenced my life choices and writing voice. I’m honored to reimagine one of my favorite books, Forever,“ said the Love Is__ creator, 52, in a statement.
Judy Blume’s controversial young adult novel Forever will get the TV treatment from Netflix, which ordered the project to series on Thursday.
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Described as a reimagination for a new generation — and not to be confused with ABC’s 2014 series or Prime Video’s 2018 series of the same name — Forever will tell the “epic love story of two Black teens exploring romance and their identities through the awkward journey of being each other’s firsts,” per the official logline. Blume’s novel, which was originally published in 1975, has frequently been challenged and banned in schools for its depictions of sex and birth control use.
Forever marks Brock Akil’s first creation under her overall deal with the streamer, a deal she landed in 2020.
“I’m excited to have a home that allows me the creative freedom and support to do what I do best– paint portraits and murals of women, Black people and anyone else whose story is missing from this golden age of television. Representation matters and so does who you build with,“ she explained as the announcement arrived.
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