V.C. Andrews' Flowers in the Attic has a lot of fans, as evidenced by the viewers that turned out to watch the small screen adaptation of the dark and dramatic novel. The numbers are in and Lifetime's broadcast of Flowers in the Attic last Saturday night brought in 6.1 million total viewers.
Deadline says that's the best original movie performance for Lifetime since the premiere of Steel Magnolias back in 2012. That one brought in 6.5 million viewers with its Fall airing. 2.6 million of Flowers in the Attic's viewers were in the key 25-54 demo, with 2 million among women 25-54.
Based on V.C. Andrews' novel, Flowers in the Attic is set in the1950s and centers on four siblings whose recently-widowed mother locks them in a bedroom of her parents wealthy estate for years while she attempts to regain her father's affection and a place in his will. Abuse, neglect, incest and a lot of drama ensue. The TV adaptation had its issues, including some pacing and performance issues, but over all, it was far superior to the 1987 feature adaptation that barely resembled the book. And it evidently had no trouble luring in viewers, whether they were fans of the novel, the film that followed or simply tuning in because they heard this was one twisted story. The cast also had its own appeal, including Heather Graham, Ellen Burstyn and Mad Men's Kiernan Shipka.
This ratings news surely bodes well for the sequel project that Lifetime announced as in-development earlier in the month. According to screenwriter Kayla Alpert, the followup would take place a decade after the events of Flowers in the Attic. Andrews' second novel in the series, Petals on the Wind, follows Cathy and her siblings as they leave Foxworth Manor and attempt to start a new life for themselves. For Cathy, that involves a goal to become the a prima ballerina. But the attic is never far from her mind, and a big part of the book centers on her efforts to seek justice — or vengeance — against her mother for what she and her siblings endured. If you thought Flowers in the Attic was twisted, go ahead and read Petals on the Wind. Things only get darker from there.
Assuming things go forward with Petals on the Wind, we might assume there would be at least some re-casting, when factoring in the ten-year jump forward. But that's just speculation. No additional details on the sequel have been announced, but with solid numbers for Flowers in the Attic, it may only be a matter of time.
In the meantime, Deadline says Lifetime is set to air an encore of Flowers in the Attic on Saturday at 10:00 p.m. following the world premiere of their new original movie Lizzie Borden Took An Ax, starring Christina Ricci. Watch the trailer for that below:
