Sarah Paulson to star as Nurse Ratched in Netflix's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest prequel series

Ryan Murphy's latest entry into his television empire has landed with the streaming giant after fierce competition

With American Horror Story: Cult just premiered on TV screens, the unstoppable forces of Ryan Murphy and Sarah Paulson already have their sights set on a new project.

Deadline revealed Netflix has just landed Murphy's new series Ratched, which sees Paulson star as a younger version of the sadistic Nurse Ratched of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

A deal landed only after some tight competition from rival streaming giants Hulu and Apple; proof of just how strong Murphy's televisual empire really is at the moment.

Ratched is an origins story that dials back to 1947, tracking Ratched's transformation from nurse to tyrant, as she goes on a murderous journey through the mental health care system. Paulson takes over from Louise Fletcher, who played the role in the 1975 film, winning an Academy Award for her performance.

The idea behind the series comes from newcomer Evan Romansky, who penned a script on spec straight out of film school. Murphy quickly snapped up the idea, before spending a year securing rights to the character and the participation of the estate of Saul Zaentz and Michael Douglas, who both produced the original film.

Ratched will be a two-season, 18-episode season, with production slated to start in mid-2018. Murphy will direct the opening episode, as he does on all of his series.

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