Jean M. Auel’s pre-historic The Clan of the Cave Bear novel is to be adapted for television, with Taken director Pierre Morel taking the reins.
The six-part Earth’s Children series is set 30,000 years ago in pre-historic Europe, when early humans still shared the world with the Neanderthals.
In the first novel, The Clan of the Cave Bear, the blond human girl Ayla is adopted by a band of cave dwellers. As she matures, she must fight for survival as her new family begins to resent her “other”-ness.
Deadline reports that Lifetime is giving the novel the pilot treatment, with Taken‘s Pierre Morel set to direct. Jean M. Auel will serve as executive producer on the project.
If ordered to series, the first season would likely span the first of Auel’s novels, seeing the young Ayla grow to adulthood.
Millie Brady (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies ) will play Ayla, with Johnny Ward as the jealous Broud. Hal Ozsan also stars as the clan leader Brun.
The pilot has been written by Linda Woolverton, who also serves as executive producer with Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Allison Shearmur, Francie Calfo, and Jean M. Auel.
The novel has previously been adapted for the big screen; the 1986 version starred Daryl Hannah, Pamela Reed, James Remar and John Doolittle, and was directed by Michael Chapman. It wasn’t a huge success, and we’re looking forward to seeing Lifetime take a stab at it.