Netflix is finally catching up to the western boom that started years ago, and the streamer is doing it with a John Steinbeck adaptation called Of Mice and Men.
The limited series is based on Steinbeck’s book and comes from writer Zoe Kazan, whose grandfather Elia Kazan adapted the novel into a classic 1955 film starring James Dean. The book was also turned into an ABC limited series in 1981, and a Jennifer Lawrence-led adaptation was planned in the 2010s before it fell through.
Sheridan’s Shadow Over Netflix
The move comes after years of Netflix trying to build its own answer to Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone. The show became a cultural phenomenon when it debuted on Paramount+ in 2018, spawning a franchise that still runs today and inspiring countless imitators.
Sheridan himself has been a major force on Paramount+. His Lioness is currently in its third season, and the second season of his Yellowstone spinoff Marshals is due soon. Netflix is preparing to launch its biggest rival series yet, and it could arrive as early as this week.
The streamer has spent years trying to produce alternatives to every style of Yellowstone-type show. Recent shows like The Waterfront and Ransom Canyon aimed at the family-saga model of the original series. The limited series American Primeval and the recent Little House on the Prairie seem modeled on Sheridan’s Yellowstone prequels 1883 and 1923.
The Kazan Family Connection
Kazan’s grandfather, Elia Kazan, adapted Steinbeck’s novel into a classic 1955 film starring James Dean.
That history adds weight to the project. The 1955 film remains a touchstone for the story, and the ABC version from 1981 shows the material has traveled before.
The Jennifer Lawrence adaptation was a real near-miss. It was conceived in the 2010s but never materialized. Now Netflix is taking its shot.
What Netflix Has Already Tried
Netflix’s western strategy has been wide-ranging. Here is a quick look at the shows the streamer has already put out:
- The Waterfront, a family saga in the Yellowstone mold
- Ransom Canyon, another family saga attempt
- American Primeval, a limited series that borrows from the Yellowstone prequels
- Little House on the Prairie, a recent entry in the same vein
The pattern is clear. Netflix has tried almost every angle except the one Sheridan found.
The Personality Quiz
Collider ran a western personality quiz alongside the news. The quiz asks readers to pick a name, a gun, a horse, a saloon night, and a code they would not break. The results land you as one of four icons: the Stranger Without a Name, Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp, or Mattie Ross.
It is a fun way to kill five minutes, and it ties back to the western tradition the show is drawing on. The quiz is a small piece of marketing, but it is a clever one. It puts readers in the western frame of mind before they hear about the Steinbeck adaptation.
A Timeline of the Western Boom
| Show | Network | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Yellowstone | Paramount+ | Cultural phenomenon since 2018 |
| Lioness (Sheridan) | Paramount+ | Third season running |
| Marshals (Sheridan) | Paramount+ | Second season due soon |
| Of Mice and Men (Kazan) | Netflix | Limited series, coming soon |
Our View
This is a smart play from Netflix. The Steinbeck adaptation has a built-in audience, and Kazan brings a literary pedigree. The quiz is a small but memorable hook.
Whether it works depends on the adaptation itself, not the marketing.
Source material: “Netflix’s Next Great Western Epic Officially Arrives in 48 Hours,” Collider.
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