HBO AND RAI RENEW THE DRAMA “MY BRILLIANT FRIEND” FOR A THIRD SEASON

HBO and RAI have renewed the drama series “My Brilliant Friend” for a third season, it was announced today by Francesca Orsi, EVP of Programming at HBO; and Eleonora Andreatta, Head of Drama at Rai.

The eight-episode second season, “My Brilliant Friend: The Story of a New Name,” based on Elena Ferrante’s bestselling book of the same name, which is the second of the four-part series published in the United States by Europa Editions, debuted in the US on Monday, March 16. Season three will be based on “Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay,” Ferrante’s third book in the series and is a The Apartment, Wildside and Fandango production with Lorenzo Mieli and Mario Gianani producing for Fremantle’s The Apartment and Wildside and Domenico Procacci producing for Fandango.

“Bringing Elena Ferrante’s exquisite work to life has been such a joy and privilege. The fact that viewers and critics alike have continued to embrace Elena and Lila’s story makes it all the more gratifying, and we thank the entire team led by Saverio Costanzo for their outstanding work on the second season. We cannot wait to tell the next chapter of Elena and Lila’s lives and friendship,”  Orsi said.

“Meeting with success among the Italian and international audience, the great challenge of 'My Brilliant Friend' continues with Rai and HBO announcing the third season, fortifying the ambition to create a complex story and bring the Italian imagination to the world, always keeping the lived experience of our country at the center of the narrative. The success of the second series has confirmed the power of Elena Ferrante’s story and its capacity to become a compelling serial loved worldwide with the richness and charm of Saverio Costanzo's direction,”  Andreatta added.

“My Brilliant Friend” is the tale of Elena Greco and the most important friend in her life. She met Raffaella Cerullo, whom she has always called Lila, in the first year of primary school in 1950. Set in a dangerous and fascinating Naples, their story goes on to cover more than 60 years of their lives and explores the mystery of Lila, Elena’s brilliant friend and – in a way – both her best friend and her worst enemy.