Sure, the (English) title of Victor Hugo’s great tragedy may be The Hunchback of Notre Dame (it’s just Notre Dame in French), but what about Esmeralda? The gypsy who captured poor Quasimoto’s heart in Hugo’s novel before their tragic ends, and enjoyed a decidedly more uplifting write-off in ABC parent company Disney’s animated The Hunchback of Notre Dame, is getting her own title now.
Deadline is reporting that ABC is developing a new period piece called Esmeraldathat’s told from the gypsy’s point of view. To add his own style to this revisionist angle, Evan Daugherty of Snow White and the Huntsman (2012) is penning the script and story for this “limited series” event. He will also be producing, making him a busy man as he is also scripting G.I. Joe 3 after finishing work on next year’s Divergentand Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, as well as this summer’s Killing Season.
Hugo crafted a terrific novel. Hopefully, it shall one day be adapted again proper for the big screen. However, if this and NBC’s Draculasucceed, we may see many more Gothic classics get the serialized treatment.