Apple TV has secured the rights to develop All the Little Houses, a drama series based on May Cobb’s recent novel. Cobb is attached to co-create with Naomi Sheldon, who will write. Fifth Season is the studio; Kristen Campo’s Campout Productions and Linden Entertainment will executive produce.
The premise
The story turns on Charleigh Anderson, who has fought her way to social dominance in Longview, Texas. When a polished, tradition-minded family arrives in town, her position is threatened and the community’s secrets start to surface.
Why the numbers matter
Apple’s bid looks calculated rather than speculative. Cobb’s previous adaptation, The Hunting Wives on Netflix, premiered last summer as the third most popular English-language series globally. It reached the Top 10 in 40 countries and hit No. 1 in 10, including the US, with billions of minutes viewed.
- Top 10 in 40 countries for The Hunting Wives
- No. 1 in 10 countries, including the US
- Second season returns November 26
A writer with heat
Sheldon’s last limited series, The Girlfriend for Prime Video and Imaginarium, was nominated for Best Limited Series at both the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards. She has since sold an original erotic thriller to Netflix with Media Res and wrapped a writers’ room for Hulu/A24’s The Spot.
Development, not a greenlight
For media planners and buyers, this is an early signal about how streaming platforms are placing bets on proven IP. Apple has not ordered a series; it has won the right to develop one. But with the sequel All the Little Secrets due November 17, it is buying a potential franchise, not a one-off.
The package matters because it reduces risk: the author has a verified audience, the writer has awards buzz, and the studio infrastructure is already attached. If the project converts to series, expect Apple to position it as a Southern gothic thriller aimed at the same adult audience that made The Hunting Wives work.
Source: Deadline
