gatsby film© Photo: Rex

A TV adaption of The Great Gatsby is in the works – and fans have had a mixed response

The last adaptation saw Leonardo DiCaprio star as Jay Gatsby

Senior Features Writer
January 27, 2021

A TV adaptation of The Great Gatsby, the 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, is in the works, according to The Hollywood Reporter – and it seems that fans are divided in their response to the news.

MORE: Viewers confused after 'illogical' Snowpiercer season two premiere

After the publication reported that screenwriter Michael Hirst would be working on the mini-series, fans took to social media to give their verdict.

Some expressed their frustration that another adaptation of the story is being made, given there have been a number of previous versions. The last adaptation was Baz Lurhmann's 2013 film starring Leonardi DiCaprio as the titular character. One person wrote: "No. No acting performance or reboot will EVER surpass DiCaprio's performance."

WATCH: Best films coming to Netflix in 2021

A second added: "Isn't the book like 200 pages? And all interior monologue? I hate this fad of stretching every story out to an eight part mini-series because we can!", while a third tweeted: "Why is this even happening. There's nothing that really happens that can be turn into whole season. Maybe four episodes that's hour long. But that's stretching it."

MORE: What happened to Married at First Sight Australia's Mike and Heidi on the show?

MORE: Netflix finally confirms return date for Brooklyn 99 season seven

MORE: Lucifer star Tom Ellis shows off incredible physique ahead of season six filming

© Photo: Rex

Leonardo DiCaprio starred as the lead in the 2013 Baz Lurhmann film adaptation

However, others were more welcoming of the news. One person wrote on Twitter: "FINALLY!!!!!" As another added: "Great Gatsby was a good book. Hopefully they do this well!" A third simply said: "Sounds interesting!"

Michael Hirst, who is the creator behind Emmy Award-winning TV shows like Vikings and The Tudors, will be working with A+E studios and ITV America to create the series.

© Photo: Getty Images

Vikings writer Michael Hirst will be behind the new series

The writer told The Hollywood Reporter: "I seem to have lived with Gatsby most of my life, reading it first as a schoolboy, later teaching it at Oxford in the 1970s then re-reading it periodically ever since.

"Today, as America seeks to reinvent itself once again, is the perfect moment to look with new eyes at this timeless story, to explore its famous and iconic characters through the modern lens of gender, race and sexual orientation."

The novel tells the story of mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby, known for throwing extravagant soirees at his mansion in the suburbs of New York City during the roaring 1920s, and his obsession to reunite with his former love, Daisy Buchanan.

Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.

Sign up to Off Camera for all the gossip and goings-on from the wonderful world of TV and film

Email Address

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, please click here.

More TV and Film

See more