Netflix’s Winx Live-Action Series Finds Lead Actress

Netflix is investing in live-action adaptations of all sorts, and it seems another animated venture is getting a makeover. After anime saw Death Note come around, Netflix is going in on an adaptation of The Winx Club, and it has let fans in on its first big casting decision.

According to a new report via Polygon, Netflix’s Fate: The Winx Club Saga is moving ahead as planed. The magical girl series, which borrows some clear tropes from anime’s own magical girls, will get a YA live-action adaptation. After the show was announced in March 2018, and it has cast Abigail Cowan from a familiar Netflix title, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.

Currently, the adaptation is being filmed in Ireland. Cowan has been cast as Bloom, a girl who is said to be totally normal but finds her world rocked when she’s transported to a realm with magical fairies. For fans, Bloom will be familiar as the heroine spends much of her time discovering her true powers and connection to the Winx world.

For those unfamiliar with the series, the Winx series features five main heroines including Bloom. There is Flora who has powers tried to flowers as well as Tecna (technology), Stella (solar), Musa (music), Layla (water), and Roxy (animals). The fairies all attended school together at Alfea Academy where they enjoyed all sorts of adventures. The show has been on-going for over 15 years which puts its lifespan far beyond other Western animated series like Totally Spies, and it seems it will be the first to head up its own live-action adaptation.

At this time, there is no word on when the adaptation will be released, but it is one a several Netflix has said it is working on. For anime fans, two high-profile series are eyeing projects with the streaming giant. Cowboy Bebop is being turned into a live-action series with actor John Cho set to play Spike. A live-action take on Avatar: The Last Airbender has also been announced, but few updates have been given on the project since its reveal.

So, how do you think this live-action series is going to go over? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!