New 'Little Women' miniseries is in the works

May 6 (UPI) -- America's PBS and Britain's the BBC are collaborating on a three-part adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's classic novel, Little Women.

Heidi Thomas, who penned the recent, small-screen versions of Call the Midwife and Cranford, wrote the screenplay for Little Women. Vanessa Caswill will direct all three hours.

No casting for the networks' project with the Playground production company has been announced yet. Filming is to begin in July.

"There are only a handful of American books that have resonated with readers for as long as Little Women," Rebecca Eaton, Masterpiece executive producer, said in a statement. "To put this deeply moving story in the hands of a writer with the heart and depth of Heidi Thomas seems just right. And [producer] Colin Callender will oversee this production with the magic he brings to everything he touches, whether its Wolf Hall or the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, currently selling out in London."

"Little Women is one of the most loved novels in the English language, and with good reason," Thomas added. "Its humanity, humor and  tenderness never date, and as a study of love, grief and growing up it has no equal. There could be no better time to revisit the story of a family striving for happiness in an uncertain world, and I am thrilled to be bringing the March girls to a new generation of viewers." 

"The miniseries is a storytelling form unique to television, and the opportunity to adapt Louisa May Alcott's novel over three hours is a gift from the BBC and Masterpiece on PBS," remarked Callender. "This is a character study of young women rich in texture and detail, and it's an honor to be able to bring it to life in this extended form with the great Heidi Thomas, one of the finest writers working in television today. In the hands of the exciting directorial style of filmmaker Vanessa Caswill we hope to deliver a new screen version that will speak to contemporary audiences, meet the expectations of the book's ardent fans and bring a whole new generation to this great classic."

The Masterpiece programming banner is presented on PBS by WGBH Boston.