Netflix announces dark new Robert Downey Jr drama based on award-winning show

Netflix has announced a brand new limited series based on a critically acclaimed stage production from showrunner Brian Watkins, which debuted during last year's Edinburgh Fringe festival.

Weather girl sees actress and Julliard graduate Julia McDermott star as Stacey, who is reprising her role for the drama following her sold-out solo Fringe show, which won Edinburgh's Popcorn Writing Award.

Netflix mega-hit Baby Reindeer, created by Scottish actor and comedian Richard Gadd, started out in the same way, which means this project is already creating plenty of buzz as the 'next' great Netflix Fringe adaptation.

The upcoming drama will be produced by Team Downey (Robert Downey Jr. and his wife Susan Downey), as well as Amanda Burrell, and A24.

According to Tudum, Netflix's Weather Girl follows Stacey, "a career-driven local television weather reporter, whose polished on-air persona masks her deep anguish over the destruction consuming her beloved hometown".

The show will be set in central California, which has been devastated by wildfires.

The description continues: "After reporting from a burning home with a family of five inside, Stacey begins to unravel and spiral away from the reality she presents on screen.

"Weather Girl confronts the looming climate apocalypse; its story also intertwines a strange reunion between Stacey and her mother who abandoned her long ago."

As well as Watkins, Team Downey, Burrell and A24 serving as executive producers, McDermott is a producer on the project.

Her past TV credits include 2024's Elsbeth, 2023's Up Here and 2022's Women of the Movement, where she made her television debut.

Meanwhile, Watkins is best known for creating Prime Video series Outer Range, which stars Josh Brolin and Imogen Poots.

Despite glowing reviews and a positive audience reception, Outer Range was cancelled by Prime Video after its second season.

The stage production of Weather Girl has received a lot of praise from critics, with WhatsOnStage stating: "With a firecracker script and a masterful central performance, this is certainly about as good as solo shows get in Edinburgh."

The Guardian wrote: "Julia McDermott is captivating as a presenter whose all-American smile cracks in the face of environmental nightmare."

Time Out described it as "a thrillingly crafted eco drama with magical realist undertones that deftly moves between darkly comic and nightmarishly earnest".

The publication also praised McDermott's performance, adding: "Genuine Californian McDermott is superb in the role of Stacey, whose real curse is her inability to just convince herself that everything will simply turn out fine."

Weather Girl has not yet been given a release date.