Neil Patrick Harris has finally had it with live events, it seems. After hosting the Tony Awards four times, playing the titular Hedwig in Broadway’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and subjecting the world to the awful variety show Best Time Ever, NPH has finally signed on to his first scripted TV series since the end of How I Met Your Mother: Netflix’s adaptation of the beloved Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events books.
Harris will fill the role of Count Olaf, which you’ll recall was played by Jim Carrey in the 2004 film adaptation of the series. Also appearing in Netflix’s show will be Malina Weissman and Louis Hynes, who play orphaned children Violet and Klaus. The two children, in addition to the to-be-cast infant Sunny Baudelaire, are placed in the care of Olaf and must fight off his attempts to steal their inheritance while they also make efforts to uncover the cause of their parents’ death. Real lighthearted kids stuff, you know?
No news yet of a potential release date, but the show will be directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, who directed all three Men in Black films. Bet on NPH really hamming it up in all of Olaf’s disguises, though.