Lifetime Greenlights Third ‘Flowers in the Attic’ Movie, Sets New Stars (Exclusive)

It’s official: Lifetime is moving forward with its third Flowers in the Attic movie.

After announcing in March that the third and fourth books in the series were in development, the female-skewing cable network has greenlighted TV movie If There Be Thorns, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

The third novel in V.C. Andrews‘ Flowers in the Attic series, If There Be Thorns follows Christopher (Jason Lewis, Sex and the City, Brothers & Sisters) and Cathy Dollanganger (Rachael Carpani, McLeod’s Daughters) as they live together as man and wife in California with Cathy’s two sons, who are unaware of the nature of their parents’ relationship. Mason Cook (Legends) will play Cathy’s son, Bart. 

Lewis and Carpani take over roles played by Wyatt Nash and Rose McIver, respectively, in Petals on the Wind, and before that, Mason Dye and Kiernan Shipka in Flowers in the Attic. It’s unclear which, if any, other castmembers from either movie will return.

If There Be Thorns will debut on Lifetime in 2015, with the fourth book in Andrews’ series, Seeds of Yesterday, also near an official greenlight. Lifetime would also premiere the latter in 2015.

If There Be Thorns will be produced by A+E Studios in association with Front Street Pictures. Dan Angel (R.L Stine’s The Haunting Hour) and Jane Startz (Spooksville) are on board to executive produce. Andy Cochran (Restless Virgins) will pen the script for the TV movie, which will be directed by Independent Spirit Award nominee Nancy Savoca (If These Walls Could Talk). Harvey Kahn (Flowers in the Attic) and Rick Arredondo (Petals on the Wind) will produce. A+E Networks will handle global sales for If There Be Thorns.

Petals on the Wind bowed over Memorial Day and averaged 3.4 million viewers, down significantly from the 6.1 million who tuned in to Flowers in the Attic in January. In the all-important adults 18-49 demo, Petals collected 1.5 million, off 37 percent from Flowers.

Lewis is repped by Resolution and Silver Lining Entertainment; Carpani is with Gersh, McKeon Myones and Stone Meyer; Cook, whose credits also include The Haunting Hour, The Goldbergs and The Middle, is with Coast to Coast, Evolution and Hirsch Wallerstein.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com
Twitter: @Snoodit