Netflix announced Wednesday that it has acquired the films rights to ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude,’ marking the first time it will be adapted to the screen. According to The New York Times, author Gabriel Garciá Márquez was always worried the book wouldn’t work if contained to just one or two films. He also demanded that any adaptation was filmed in Spanish. So, he never sold the rights for fear of ruining the book. However, with the recent success of shows and movies such as Narcos and Roma García Márquez’ sons, Rodrigo and Gonzalo García, finally felt confident in Netflix’s ability to adapt the story how their late-father would have wanted.
“In the last three or four years, the level and prestige and success of series and limited series has grown so much,” Rodrigo García said regarding the deal. “Netflix was among the first to prove that people are more willing than ever to see series that are produced in foreign languages with subtitles. All that seems to be a problem that is no longer a problem.”
Originally published in 1967, the book follows the story of the Buendía family across a century following the establishment of the fictitious Colombian town of Macondo by José Arcadio Buendía. Many consider it to be a masterpiece of Latin American literature. In the words of Francisco Ramos, VP of Spanish Language Originals at Netflix, the book covers a century that “shaped [South America] as a continent. Through dictatorships, through births of new countries, through colonialism. We know it’s going to be very magical and very important for Colombians and Latin America, but the novel is universal.”
No official word on a cast, crew, or release date yet. But, per their deal with the Garciá family, Netflix has committed to filming in Columbia and working with top Latin American talent across the board.
