A new live-action series based on Trenton Lee Stewart’s bestselling 2007 middle-grade novel, The Mysterious Benedict Society, is in the works at Hulu, according to Deadline, and Emmy-nominated actor Kristen Schaal just signed on as Number Two—the servant of narcoleptic genius Mr. Benedict, who’ll be played by Tony Hale of Veep and Arrested Development.
The book tells the story of four talented kids who are recruited by Mr. Benedict to infiltrate the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, whose “brilliant founder, Ledroptha Curtain, is sending out powerful mental messages that are sowing worldwide discord,” according to Kirkus’ review, which compared the book to the works of Lemony Snicket and noted its “appealingly complex characters and comedy sly and gross.” Stewart went on to publish five more Benedict Society-related books; the latest, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of the Ages, was released last year.
Schaal currently co-stars as a voice actor on the Fox animated TV show Bob’s Burgers as daughter Louise Belcher; she received her Emmy nomination for her voice work on Netflix’s Bojack Horseman. She also co-starred on the live-action Fox comedy series The Last Man on Earth and had a recurring role on the much-loved HBO show Flight of the Conchords. The Mysterious Benedict Society isn’t her first book adaptation; she previously voice-acted in 2017’s Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, based on Dav Pilkey’s bestselling kids-book series, and 2013’s Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, based on the 1978 children’s book by Judi Barrett, illustrated by Ron Barrett.
Interestingly, the new show will be written by Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay, who penned the extremely dark 2018 cop-thriller Destroyer and the grim 2015 horror film The Invitation, both directed by the great Karyn Kusama, Hay’s spouse. They’ve also co-written comedy films, however, including the hit buddy-cop movies Ride Along and Ride Along 2.
David Rapp is the senior Indie editor.
