#Netflix’s ‘Lady Voyeur’ Creator Sets TV Adaptations at Waterside Studios (Exclusive)

Corus Entertainment’s Waterside Studios has nabbed the TV adaptation rights to two YA novels by Argentina’s Marcela Citterio: The Girl Who Didn’t Want to Be a Princess and Uma Ghost.

Toronto-based Waterside Studios will develop for global young adult audiences live-action, English-language series based on both novels from the creator and writer of Netflix’s Lady Voyeur series.

“Being able to work hand-in-hand with Waterside Studios and Corus Entertainment to develop these characters and their stories into a TV series that gives them an innovative audiovisual narrative — a dimension that would not have been possible otherwise — is beyond any of my dreams. I’m grateful and excited that these industry giants trust me and my publisher, The Orlando Books, to support and co-create my visions, I know that together we will take the art of storytelling to new heights, and I can’t wait for the world to see what we’ve created,” Citterio said in a statement on Wednesday.

Netflix’s psychological thriller Lady Voyeur (Olhar Indiscreto) starred Débora Nascimento and was produced for the streaming giant’s Brazilian service. Before that, Netflix picked up Chica Vampiro (Vampire Girl), a Colombian teen telenovela produced by RCN Television and based on an original story by Citterio.

The Argentinian novelist and screenwriter was also the creative force behind Nickelodeon‘s telenovela adaptation I Am Frankie, which in turn was based on her novel Yo Soy Franky.

Citterio’s The Girl Who Didn’t Want to Be a Princess follows 18-year-old Aurora, a Formula 1-obsessed girl who has no time for love until she falls for poor Tiziano, who is actually a prince from a neighboring island in disguise.

Uma Ghost centers on Wendy, a millionaire, rebel and orphan who is sent to live with a new family, where she is forced to sleep in the room of their late daughter Uma. In time, Wendy discovers her mission is to help the family heal and her new friend Uma transition to life and love in The Ghost World via the closet in their bedroom.

The latest TV adaptations of Citterio novels follow streaming platforms increasingly targeting Spanish-speaking audiences worldwide.

“Waterside Studios is honored to bring to life two great stories from a fantastic storyteller who connects with global audiences and has a proven track record of successful shows in the Latin, North American and European markets,” Jeff Norton, head of Waterside Studios, said in a statement.

In 2022, Norton and Corus, which also runs the animation studio Nelvana, partnered to launch Waterside Studios to produce a slate of live-action programming for audiences in Canada and globally. Waterside’s first production is Geek Girl for YTV in Canada and Netflix in the rest of the world.