Netflix: ‘Spotlight' Helmer Tom McCarthy To Direct & Produce Series ‘13 Reasons Why,’ Jason Bateman To Direct & Star In 'Ozark'

SpotlightNetflix has been busy this week. In the continuing arms race of streaming services acquiring content and producing their own, the worldwide streaming platform has a handful of new titles headed their way, so let’s dive right in.

READ MORE: Netflix Will Spend $5 Billion On Content In 2016; ‘The Ridiculous 6’ The Most-Watched Film On The Service In First 30 Days

Deadline reports that Netflix has tapped Tom McCarthy to direct the first two episodes and produce the new series "13 Reasons Why." Based on the book by Jay Asher, and produced by Selena Gomez ("Spring Breakers," "Rudderless"), the story will center on Clay, a young man who tries to unravel what part he played in driving his crush, Hannah, to suicide.

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker—his classmate and crush—who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah’s voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out why. 
                
Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a firsthand witness to Hannah’s pain, and as he follows Hannah’s recorded words throughout his town, what he discovers changes his life forever. 

Pulitizer and Tony Award winner Brian Yorkey has adapted the book, the series will run thirteen episodes, and it sounds like compelling, wrenching stuff.

Meanwhile, Netflix has been busy adding more projects to their roster. Variety reports they’ve snapped up the cancer dramedy "Other People" starring Molly Shannon and Jesse Plemons, which premiered at Sundance last month (our review). They’ve also acquired "Ozark," a series that will be directed by Jason Bateman, who will also star. The drama, which will start shooting this spring, takes place in the dangerous world of money laundering.

Lastly, Netflix will be kicking off their first original German language production with "Dark." The family saga will be directed by Baran bo Odar, and is set in a German town in present day where the disappearance of two young children exposes the double lives and fractured relationships among four families. In ten, hour-long episodes, the story takes on a supernatural twist that ties back to the same town in 1986. Look for it in 2017.