Netflix has announced the official greenlight of a new adaptation of Little House on the Prairie, the classic book series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The upcoming series will offer a modern take on the beloved stories that explore themes of family, survival, and the American frontier.
Rebecca Sonnenshine, acclaimed for her work on The Boys, Vampire Diaries, and Archive 81, will serve as the showrunner and executive producer. Joining her in the executive producer role are Joy Gorman Wettels, Trip Friendly, Dana Fox, and Susanna Fogel, with CBS Studios and Anonymous Content Studios handling production for Netflix. Trip Friendly, the son of Ed Friendly who executive produced the original 1974 Little House series, is also involved in the project.
“This adaptation offers a fresh lens on the hardships and triumphs of those who shaped the frontier,” said Jinny Howe, Netflix’s VP of drama series. The new series will blend family drama, survival storytelling, and an origin tale of the American West, capturing the emotional depth and universal appeal that made the original series so enduring.
Wilder’s Little House books, first published in the 1930s and 1940s, have sold over 73 million copies globally. The stories were adapted into an NBC TV series that aired from 1974 to 1983 for nine seasons. The original series remains culturally significant, with the 2024 streaming numbers showing it as one of the most-watched library titles on Peacock, amassing over 13 billion viewing minutes.
Sonnenshine shared her long-standing connection to the material, saying, “I fell deeply in love with these books when I was five years old. They inspired me to become a writer and a filmmaker, and I’m thrilled to bring them to a new generation of viewers.”
Trip Friendly added, “It’s a dream come true to continue my father’s legacy by adapting these stories for today’s audience. We are excited to honor the heart of the original while introducing them to new fans.”
This new series marks a continued focus on Western frontier dramas by Netflix, following successful releases like American Primeval and Godless, both of which helped bolster the platform’s growing library of Western-themed content.