Philip Barantini—director of the critically-acclaimed "Adolescence"—eyed to helm "The Alchemist" film adaptation

After years of development stalls, The Alchemist is finally getting a silver-screen adaptation. Paulo Coelho’s best-selling novel, which has inspired generations with its message of self-discovery, will reportedly be helmed by Adolescence director Philip Barantini.

The British director, currently riding high on the success of the Netflix series, is popular for his signature one-shot technique and emotionally impactful storytelling. With this approach, he is expected to bring a more grounded perspective to the philosophical journey of the Andalusian shepherd Santiago, who seeks his “Personal Legend.”

Jack Thorne, whose works include Enola Holmes and His Dark Materials, will pen the screenplay of the book’s big-screen adaptation.

Meanwhile, Legendary Entertainment is set to produce the project and aims to start in 2026. Palmstar and TriStar are to develop the property, with the latter handling the global distribution.

First released in 1988, Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist has sold over 150 million copies worldwide and is the most translated work by a living author. It spent over 400 weeks on the New York Times best-sellers list, proving its influence and cultural impact.

The story follows Santiago, a shepherd from Andalusia, who travels to the pyramids of Egypt to search for the treasure he has recurrently dreamed about. During his journey, he encounters mysterious characters—kings, alchemists, and sages—who help him understand his true destiny.

Over the years, the novel has faced multiple attempts to bring the story to the silver screen, but all have fallen through. This was because the filmmakers and studios struggled to capture the ethereal essence of Coelho’s book without sacrificing its core narrative.

---

Philip Barantini’s Adolescence lands an almost-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score

Netflix’s gripping crime drama Adolescence follows the story of 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), who is arrested for the murder of Katie (classmate). The series explores the cataclysmic impact of the incident on Jamie and his family, particularly his father, Eddie, who struggles to accept the painful truth about his adolescent son.

Stephen Graham, who co-created the 4-episode drama alongside Jack Thorne, previously told Yahoo UK that Adolescence is loosely based on a true story.

"[I] read an incident in the paper and it was about a young boy killing a young girl. It just made me think, what's going on? What's happened in today's society where young boys feel a need to kill a young girl?"

The show amassed more than 114 million views in less than a month and also topped Netflix's English TV list.

It also received an impressive 99% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, surpassing Fool Me Once. Currently, it's the most-streamed TV show in the UK during a single week.

Adolescence is in talks for Season 2. According to reports, Plan B co-presidents Jeremy Kleiner and Dede Gardner are in preliminary talks with Barantini for the "next iteration."