Netflix is betting big on Robert Langdon again, and this time the series draws on a book nobody has seen before on screen. The streamer is adapting The Secret of Secrets, Dan Brown’s sixth and most recent Robert Langdon novel, for television. It is being led by Brown himself and Carlton Cuse, the writer and producer behind Lost, Bates Motel, Locke & Key, and the rebooted Jack Ryan.
The project is currently filming on location in Prague. It marks Netflix’s first adaptation of a Langdon novel since the Tom Hanks-led film trilogy The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, and Inferno. That trilogy opened with a $800 million worldwide haul on a budget of $125 million.
Langdon’s Long Run On Screen
Langdon has been a fan favorite for over two decades. He is a symbology professor who finds himself wrapped up in dangerous, ancient, and politically charged schemes. He is basically a modern-day Indiana Jones, minus the hat and whip.
The comparison to Indiana Jones and Jack Ryan is not accidental. Characters like Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones and Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan have proven timeless across film, television, and video games. Whether on the page, on the small screen, or on the big screen, played by John Krasinski, Alec Baldwin, or even Ford himself, the formula works.
Langdon shares that template. He is a seemingly everyday historian or professor who becomes a globe-trotting, world-saving hero. He hunts down historical artifacts and unravels dangerous political conspiracies. Sometimes he does both at once.
Netflix’s Track Record In Thrillers
Netflix has had plenty of success in the thriller genre recently. Shows like The Night Agent, Black Doves, Bodyguard, and The Diplomat have all proven worthy additions to the streamer’s lineup. None of those series, however, has produced a lead as iconic as Indiana Jones, Jack Ryan, or Prime Video’s Jack Reacher.
Reacher is a character so well-known and beloved that viewers are willing to tune in based on his name alone. Netflix has not found that lead yet. That could be about to change with The Secret of Secrets.
Brown’s Unadapted Book
Brown’s The Secret of Secrets is one of his unadapted novels. It is also described as his most experimental work. The series is currently untitled, and it is being led by Brown himself alongside Carlton Cuse.
Cuse’s credits include Lost, Bates Motel, Locke & Key, and the rebooted Jack Ryan. That last credit is notable. Cuse has already worked on a franchise that shares the same basic template: a desk-bound analyst who becomes a globe-trotting hero, hunting down clues and unraveling conspiracies.
Netflix is taking a gamble. But the bet will hopefully pay off.
Prague Filming
The series is currently filming on location in Prague. That is a significant commitment for a television production, and it suggests a scale that matches the scope of Brown’s novels.
The Langdon Trilogy
The Langdon films are a familiar part of the franchise’s history. The trilogy opened with The Da Vinci Code, which earned $800 million worldwide on a budget of $125 million. The other two films in the trilogy were Angels & Demons and Inferno.
That trilogy established the template for Langdon on screen. The books themselves have sold millions of copies worldwide. The films brought that audience to the cinema.
Carlton Cuse’s Track Record
Carlton Cuse has a proven record of hit television. His credits include Lost, Bates Motel, and Locke & Key. His work on Jack Ryan shows he knows how to handle a franchise with a built-in audience.
Dan Brown himself is leading the series. That is unusual for a novelist adapting their own work. It suggests a deep involvement in how the story is told.
The Payoff
The gamble is whether the series can capture the magic of the books. Brown’s novels have sold millions of copies worldwide. The films brought that audience to the cinema.
Netflix has the opportunity to bring Langdon back to audiences who have not seen him on screen in years. The bet will hopefully pay off.
The series is currently untitled, and it is being led by Brown himself alongside Carlton Cuse. The combination of the author’s vision and the producer’s track record is a strong starting point.
The Bottom Line
Netflix is betting on Robert Langdon again. The series is currently filming on location in Prague. It is led by Dan Brown himself and Carlton Cuse. The gamble is whether the series can capture the magic of the books.
The comparison to Indiana Jones and Jack Ryan is apt. Both characters share the same template:
- A seemingly everyday historian or professor
- Who becomes a globe-trotting, world-saving hero
- Hunting down historical artifacts and unraveling dangerous political conspiracies
Langdon fits that mold perfectly.
The bet will hopefully pay off. That is a fair assessment. The ingredients are all there: a bestselling author, a talented producer, a recognizable character, and a willingness to take risks.
The question is whether the series can live up to the hype. That is a question for later. For now, the bet is on.
See the video the story is built around at Screen Rant.
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