Based on the novels by Patricia Highsmith, the series follows Tom Ripley (Scott), a grifter scraping by in early 1960s New York, who is hired by a wealthy man to try to convince his vagabond son, Dickie Greenleaf (Flynn), who is living a comfortable, trust-funded ex-pat life in Italy, to return home. Tom's acceptance of the job is the first step into a complex life of deceit, fraud and murder.
Fanning plays Marge Sherwood, an American living in Italy who suspects darker motives underlie Tom's affability.
Steven Zaillian wrote and directed the entire 8-episode season. He executive produces with Garrett Basch, Guymon Casady, Ben Forkner, Sharon Levy and Philipp Keel. Scott serves as a producer. Endemol Shine North America, Entertainment 360 and Filmrights produce.
Though the series was designed as a limited series, the series could return for additional seasons - likely based on the other novels in Highsmith's series - should the show have a successful run on Netflix.
Netflix's pickup of Ripley comes during a transitionary time at Showtime. Executives at the premium cable network are planning a closer programming integration with Paramount+. As a result, executives are looking to develop franchises for its platform in the mold of its biggest and broadest hits (e.g. Billions, Homeland and Dexter). The network also recently dropped the original drama series Three Women starring Shailene Woodley, which was promptly picked up by Starz to also air later this year.
