Netflix taps Oscar-winning ‘La La Land’ director for musical series

This file photo taken on February 26, 2017 shows Damien Chazelle posing in the press room with the Oscar for Best Director during the 89th Annual Academy Awards in Hollywood, California.
Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle is to bring an eight-episode musical drama set in Paris to Netflix, the internet streaming service announced on Friday. The “La La Land” director will helm two episodes of “The Eddy” and executive produce the entire series, which focuses on a club, its owner, the house band and the “chaotic city that surrounds them,” Netflix said. AFP FILE PHOTO

LOS ANGELES—Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle is to bring an eight-episode musical drama set in Paris to Netflix, the internet streaming service announced on Friday.

The “La La Land” director will helm two episodes of “The Eddy” and executive produce the entire series, which focuses on a club, its owner, the house band and the “chaotic city that surrounds them,” Neflix said.

Written by five-time BAFTA and Olivier-winning writer Jack Thorne (“National Treasure,” “This is England”), the series will be co-produced by Emmy-winner Alan Poul (“Six Feet Under,” “The Newsroom”).

In keeping with the Netflix philosophy of not shying away from subtitled foreign dialogue in shows such as “Cable Girls” and “Narcos,” “The Eddy” will feature French, English and Arabic speakers.

Original music will be written by six-time Grammy Award-winner Glen Ballard, who has writing and producing credits on numerous hit records, including Alanis Morissette’s “Jagged Little Pill” and Michael Jackson’s “Bad.”

“I’ve always dreamed of shooting in Paris, so I’m doubly excited to be teaming up with Jack, Glen and Alan on this story, and thrilled that we have found a home for it at Netflix,” said Chazelle, 32, whose father is French.

Chazelle, a specialist in movies about music, is seen as one of Hollywood’s hottest properties after winning a best director Oscar for “La La Land” (2016) and getting writing nominations for that film and “Whiplash (2014).

“From the intense, complex relationship between a jazz drummer and his instructor in ‘Whiplash’ to his dazzling duo of lovelorn Los Angelenos in ‘La La Land,’ Damien’s work is emotional and electrifying,” said Erik Barmack, vice president of Netflix’s international original content.

Netflix hasn’t announced a release date, but Chazelle is currently busy with “First Man,” a Neil Armstrong biopic which begins shooting in November in Atlanta and is set to hit theaters in October next year.

The movie reunites the director with “La La Land” star Ryan Gosling, who leads a cast including Jon Bernthal (“The Walking Dead,” “Baby Driver”) and Jason Clarke (“Zero Dark Thirty,” “Everest”).