The Tattooist Of Auschwitz: Everything We Know About Melanie Lynskey's Peacock Drama

New Zealand author Heather Morris' 2018 novel "The Tattooist of Auschwitz" is getting the adaptation treatment. Sky and Peacock are teaming up to bring the project to the small screen. The best-selling novel tells the true story of Lale Sokolov, a Jewish prisoner of war tasked with tattooing identification numbers onto the arms of prisoners at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp during World War II. It's a devastating story that focuses on the romance between Sokolov and his fellow prisoner Gita. It's based on a true story that inspired Morris for her novel (originally written as a screenplay), leading her to meet with Sokolov over years before writing it. 

The book has attracted readers of over 15 languages across the globe ... but has also earned its share of criticism. The story has often been slammed for its historical inaccuracy, and accused of memorializing certain events of the Holocaust — but the book has a significant reader base who hope the adaptation gets it right. Production is currently underway (via The Wrap) for the series, and here's everything we know about it, including its cast, creative team, and release date.

The novel, which has sold 12 million copies worldwide, isn't for the faint of heart — it has many emotionally riveting scenes that warrant tears, but it also details what humans are capable of and how they sometimes do the most horrifying things. It's also a story about love. "The Tattooist of Auschwitz" depicts the experiences of a Slovakian Jewish prisoner of war who was forced to tattoo numbers onto the arms of thousands of prisoners being held at a concentration camp. He watches his friends and fellow prisoners die and is forced to do atrocious things, until one day, he tattoos the arm of a young woman named Gita, and the two fall in love.

As per the synopsis for the adaptation, the story is described as a "courageous, unforgettable and human story" and "a tale of the very best of humanity in the very worst of circumstances."

In the adaptation, New Zealand-based actress and "Yellowjackets" star and Emmy-nominated actress Melanie Lynskey will play Heather Morris, the book's real-life author. Actor Jonah Hauer-King ("Little Women") who plays Prince Eric in the upcoming, anticipated live-action remake of Disney's "The Little Mermaid," has been cast as the protagonist, Lale Sokolov. Polish actress Anna Próchniak (whose film credits include "The Innocents" and the BBC series "Baptiste") will play Gita in the show. German actor and musician Jonas Nay (known for starring in "Deutschland 83" and its sequels) will play Auschwitz guard Stefan Baretzki, the Nazi officer who was assigned to guard Lale. Israeli filmmaker Tali Shalom-Ezer ("Princess," "My Days of Mercy") will serve as the primary director of the show's six episodes.

The adaptation is a co-production between Sky Studios and Peacock and is produced by Synchronicity Films in partnership with Sky Studios and All3Media International. Claire Mundell will executive produce on behalf of Synchronicity Films. Jacquelin Perske is the lead writer for "The Tattooist of Auschwitz" and will also serve as its executive producer. Her team of writers includes Evan Placey and Gabbie Asher. Author Heather Morris, who penned the original novel, is working as a consultant on the series.

Although a release date has yet to be confirmed, the show is set to premiere next year, in 2024, on Sky Atlantic and the streaming service NOW in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy as well as Germany. Dates for its Peacock debut remain a mystery for now, but you can watch this space for more details about the show, which will be revealed in the coming months.