The upcoming Netflix adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novel East of Eden is making a significant change by centering the entire story on one of literature’s most infamous characters. This new seven-episode miniseries will tell the classic family saga from the perspective of Cathy Ames, the complex and manipulative character at the heart of the story, played by Florence Pugh. The project is currently in post-production and is scheduled for release on Netflix in early 2026.
First published in 1952, East of Eden is often considered John Steinbeck’s most ambitious work. The novel tells the sprawling story of two intertwined families, the Trasks and the Hamiltons, across generations in California’s Salinas Valley. Its themes of good and evil, family conflict, and the struggle for acceptance are drawn from the biblical story of Cain and Abel.
While the book’s narration shifts between characters, the Netflix series chooses a single, bold point of view. The official description states the show “follows the multi-generational Trask family saga, explored from the perspective of the standout female character Cathy Ames”.
This shift means the story will primarily focus on the Trask family, with key members played by Christopher Abbott as Adam Trask and Mike Faist as his brother, Charles. The cast also includes Hoon Lee as Lee, Tracy Letts as Cyrus Trask, and Martha Plimpton as Faye.
Cathy Ames is one of Steinbeck’s most memorable creations, a character he described as a “monster.”. In the novel, she marries Adam Trask, betrays him, and abandons her newborn twin sons to run a brothel. Shifting the narrative to her perspective is a major creative decision by the series’ writer and executive producer, Zoe Kazan.
Kazan, who is the granddaughter of Elia Kazan, the director of the famous 1955 East of Eden film starring James Dean, has a deep connection to the material. She explained her long-held desire to adapt the book, specifically to give full expression to its “astonishing, singular antiheroine”.
“I fell in love with East of Eden when I first read it, in my teens,” Kazan said. “Since then, adapting Steinbeck’s novel — the great, sprawling, three-generational entirety of it — has been my dream. More than anything, I have wanted to give full expression to the novel’s astonishing, singular antiheroine, Cathy Ames”.
This focused perspective may also address a common critique of Steinbeck’s novel. Some readers have found the book’s original narration, which blends the voice of a character named John Steinbeck with omniscient storytelling, to be inconsistent. By telling the story through Cathy’s eyes, the series aims for a more direct and personal narrative.
Filming for the limited series began in New Zealand in mid-October 2024 and was completed by March 2025. Interestingly, the production was filmed in New Zealand, not in the story’s original setting of California’s Salinas Valley. Industry reports suggest this was due to financial incentives offered for filming there.
The creative team brings together significant talent. Kazan serves as writer, executive producer, and co-showrunner alongside Jeb Stuart. The directing duties are split: Garth Davis (Lion) directs the first four episodes, and Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre (The Mustang) directs the final three.
Also Read:
Florence Pugh, known for her roles in Oppenheimer and Little Women, not only stars as Cathy but also serves as an executive producer on the series. On her casting, Zoe Kazan said, “Florence Pugh is our dream Cathy; I can’t imagine a more thrilling actor to bring this character to life”.
While Netflix has not announced an exact premiere date, multiple sources confirm the series is expected to be released in early 2026. This likely means a release window between January and April of that year.
The series will consist of seven episodes, and the titles for all have been revealed. The episode list is:
The titles trace Cathy’s journey, using both her original name and her alias, “Kate,” which she adopts later in the story. Peter Friedlander, Vice President of Scripted Series at Netflix, expressed confidence in Kazan’s vision, stating it “pays homage to her grandfather’s revered film adaptation while beautifully honoring and introducing new audiences to a true canon of American literature”.
Also Read: Heated Rivalry Episode 6: Season Finale Release, Ending Predictions and More
Sources: 1
