Netflix has emerged as the winner in a high-stakes bidding war for the television adaptation of “Understudy,” a short story by author Nicholas Binge. The streaming giant reportedly beat out six other studios to secure the rights for the project in a competitive 7-figure deal, signaling a major acquisition for its upcoming development slate.
Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are set to executive produce the series and are currently slated to direct the pilot episode themselves. The duo arrives at the project following the massive commercial success of Project Hail Mary, which concluded its 2026 theatrical run with a worldwide gross of $684.3 million. Their involvement in “Understudy” marks a significant return to television development after their recent dominance at the global box office.
Joining the production team is Steven Yeun, who will executive produce through his banner, Celadon Pictures. According to reporting from The Wrap, Yeun is attached strictly in a producing capacity and is not currently expected to take an on-screen role in the series. The collaboration represents a high-profile pairing between Yeun’s production outfit and the high-concept visual style associated with Lord and Miller’s Lord Miller Productions.
The series is based on a five-page short story by Binge, an author whose work has recently seen a surge in Hollywood interest. The auction for “Understudy” was notably aggressive, with as many as seven different studios participating in the bidding before Netflix finalized the deal. This acquisition follows a trend of studios looking to short-form fiction for expansion into long-form television narratives, particularly when high-profile directors and producers are attached to the package.
