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Jane Schoenbrun is stepping into television after two acclaimed indie films and a growing presence in publishing. Netflix has ordered a straight-to-series adaptation of Charles Burns’ cult comic “Black Hole,” with Schoenbrun set to write and direct, a move that expands the filmmaker’s work into a third medium.
Schoenbrun to adapt Charles Burns’ Black Hole for Netflix
Netflix and New Regency are co-producing the adaptation of Charles Burns’ graphic series. The streamer issued a straight-to-series order, bypassing the usual pilot stage.
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News first surfaced in industry reports and outlets reached out to Schoenbrun’s team for comment. This project will be Schoenbrun’s first television credit after the success of their films.
What the Black Hole story involves and why it matters
Burns’ original ran across twelve issues in the 1990s and early 2000s. It centers on Seattle teens who contract a mysterious STI known as “the Bug.”
The infection leads to odd, sometimes grotesque physical changes. The comic mixes teen angst with body horror and social alienation.
The material aligns with Schoenbrun’s interest in linking adolescent sexuality to genre horror. Fans expect a sensitive, eerie take on the source work.
How this fits into Schoenbrun’s expanding career
Schoenbrun now has major projects active in film, TV, and publishing. The move into series TV follows critical praise for their earlier features.
- Television: Black Hole, a straight-to-series adaptation for Netflix produced with New Regency.
- Film: Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, currently in post-production.
- Book: Debut novel Public Access Afterworld, with publisher Hogarth/Random House.
Feature in post-production: Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma
The director’s next film explores the dark side of horror reboots. It follows a filmmaker hired to revive a washed-up slasher franchise.
The lead cast includes Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson. The story turns obsession and fandom into psychological territory.
From failed series pitch to novel: Public Access Afterworld
Schoenbrun’s debut novel began life as a television concept. When the TV plan stalled, they reworked the idea into a book.
The novel was acquired by Hogarth, an imprint of Random House. Schoenbrun describes it as a thematic capstone to a loose screen trilogy.
Public Access Afterworld blends literary fantasy, coming-of-age, sci-fi, and horror. The narrative follows a secret TV network whose broadcasts pull in disparate characters across eras.
- Two teenage friends in a suburban New York basement.
- A housewife living through the end of World War II.
- A trans content moderator at a YouTube-like company who becomes central to the mystery.
The book tracks a century of disappearances linked to the signal. It explores identity, conspiracy, and the hidden history of American entertainment.
What to expect from the TV adaptation and future releases
Schoenbrun’s voice blends tender character study with uncanny imagery. That sensibility is likely to shape Black Hole’s tone.
With a feature in post-production and a novel nearing publication, Schoenbrun’s upcoming year will reveal work across three platforms.
Black Hole’s TV format offers room to expand Burns’ eerie, slow-burn world. Fans of the comic and the filmmaker will watch closely as casting and release details arrive.
