Elissa Down To Direct Keslee Blalock, Madison Skye Validum And Lidya Jewett In “Ivy & Bean”

Netflix has optioned the rights to Annie Barrows’ New York Times bestselling book series Ivy & Bean and will adapt into one-hour family films.

Ivy and Bean never expected to be friends. Ivy is quiet, thoughtful and observant. Bean is playful, exuberant and fearless. However, sometimes an adventure reveals that opposites can become the best of friends.

Ivy & Bean reunites Netflix with Down after she directed the hit dance-comedy film Feel the Beat starring Sofia Carson, Wolfgang Novogratz and also Lidya Jewett.

Ivy & Bean joins Netflix’s growing slate of live action family films featuring kids and teens, which include He’s All That starring Addison Rae and Tanner Buchanan directed by Mark Waters (Mean Girls) and Nightbooks directed by David Yarovesky (Brightburn) starring Winslow Fegley, Lidya Jewett, and Krysten Ritter. Recent releases include Skater Girl from first time director Manjari Makijany and starring Rachel Saanchita Gupta and Shafin Patel, making their acting debuts; Finding ‘Ohana, directed by Jude Weng (Fresh Off the Boat) and starring Kea Peahu and Alex Aiono; and comedy Tall Girl, directed by Nzingha Stewart (Little Fires Everywhere) and starring Ava Michelle.