Scarlett Johansson is coming back to The Nanny Diaries nearly 20 years after playing the lead role in the movie version. But this time, she is working behind the camera. Netflix is developing a television adaptation of the popular book, and Johansson will serve as an executive producer. The streaming service confirmed the project on April 22, 2026.
The show comes from Greg Berlanti‘s Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television. Johansson first talked with Berlanti about turning the book into a series while they were making the 2024 movie Fly Me to the Moon. That conversation led to this new project now moving forward at Netflix.
How The Nanny Diaries TV Show Differs From the 2007 Movie
The new The Nanny Diaries series follows a young woman named Annie, an aspiring writer with no money. She takes a nanny job for a wealthy woman on Manhattan‘s Upper East Side. This job pulls her into a world of extreme wealth and luxury. The twist in the TV version is that Annie lands a book deal to write about the lives of rich families. She must live a double life—working as a nanny while secretly gathering material for her book.
Things get complicated when Annie starts to care about the people in this world. She becomes attached to them even as she plans to expose their secrets. The logline also reveals that Annie will find out what her boss is truly capable of. This darker element adds suspense to the story.
The 2007 movie, directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini, starred Johansson as Annie Braddock alongside Laura Linney, Paul Giamatti, and Chris Evans. That film followed a college graduate who becomes a nanny for a wealthy but troubled family. The series will expand on that premise with the undercover writing angle.
Who Is Making The Nanny Diaries Series for Netflix
Amy Chozick and Jenny Bicks are writing the series and will serve as showrunners. Chozick previously worked on The Girls on the Bus, while Bicks wrote for Sex and the City. Both women are also executive producers on the project.
Johansson joins the producing team through her company These Pictures, alongside Jonathan Lia and Keenan Flynn. Other executive producers include Sarah Schechter and Leigh London Redman for Berlanti Productions, plus Gary Barber and Sean Hoagland for Spyglass Media Group.
The project is still in early development. Casting for the role of Annie has not been announced yet. There is also no release date or production timeline available at this time. The show does not have a confirmed release window, but fans may expect it to arrive in 2027.
The Nanny Diaries Book Success and Netflix‘s Adaptation Strategy
The Nanny Diaries novel by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus came out in 2002. Both authors worked as nannies before writing the book. The novel became a #1 New York Times bestseller and has been translated into more than 20 languages. A sequel called Nanny Returns followed in 2010.
Netflix has found major success with book adaptations. The company reported that book-based shows and movies drove over 9 billion global views on the platform in 2025. These adaptations made up nearly 20 percent of total viewing hours. The Netflix Global Top 10 list featured a book adaptation every single week for 13 straight weeks entering 2026. Popular examples include Bridgerton, The Queen’s Gambit, and Leave the World Behind.
Other book adaptations coming to Netflix in 2026 include East of Eden, Pride and Prejudice, Little House on the Prairie, Remarkably Bright Creatures, and The Whisper Man.
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What Fans Should Know About the New Series
The show will not feature Johansson in front of the camera based on current information. Her role is strictly as an executive producer. This marks a change from the 2007 movie where she played the main character. The new Annie will be played by a different actress once casting is complete.
The series format allows the story to go deeper than the movie could. With multiple episodes, the show can explore Annie‘s double life in greater detail. It can also show more of the Upper East Side socialite world and the relationships that form there.
The original novel gave readers a funny but sharp look at working for extremely rich families. The movie captured some of that tone. The series appears to be adding a thriller element with the line about Annie finding out what her boss is truly capable of.
Netflix has not announced how many episodes the show will have. The episode count and runtime details will likely come out after the show moves further into production.
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