The bestselling author has 13 Netflix projects, including the new 'I Will Find You' series based on his 2023 novel
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NEED TO KNOW
- Harlan Coben says there’s a “key” to a riveting page-to-screen adaptation
- The author spoke with PEOPLE at the premiere of the Netflix series I Will Find You, based on his 2023 novel of the same name
- The series stars Sam Worthington as a father wrongly imprisoned for his son’s murder
Harlan Coben is no novice to the page-to-screen adaptation process. But there's a secret to bringing his books to life, the bestselling author says.
The writer gave PEOPLE some insight at the premiere of I Will Find You in New York City on June 17.
Coben serves as an executive producer on the Netflix series, based on his 2023 novel of the same name. I Will Find You, out on June 18, marks the author's 13th Netflix project. His novels are the inspiration for shows including Fool Me Once, Missing You and The Stranger.
Credit: Christos Kalohoridis/NETFLIX
“I think the key is you want to be able to stir the pulse. You want to be able to stir the mind, make you think,” Coben said. “But especially in this case, I think it's stirring the heart."
I Will Find You follows David Burroughs (Sam Worthington), a father wrongly imprisoned for the murder of his son, Matthew. When David receives evidence that Matthew may still be alive, he embarks on a prison break to find him.
“Imagine you've just spent five years in prison for the murder of your own child and now you find out your child might still be alive,” Coben said. “If that doesn't get your juices flowing, maybe we're not for you.”
The author also praised Worthington's performance as David in the series, which also stars Britt Lower, Milo Ventimiglia, Chi McBride and Erin Richards.
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“There was times when we were filming where I said, ‘Just cut the lines. Just go in tight on Sam. You can feel his pain, you can feel his anguish,'” Coben recalled. “And even that first scene when he finds out his son might be alive, and you see his face — it's a mix of hope, and also terror, because hope can really terrify you. And Sam plays all that so well.”
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Another thing that Worthington does well? An American accent, Coben said.
“He does a little Boston in this — just a little bit to make it absolutely perfect,” the author said. “He put a lot into this. As they say, he got so into the character, sometimes I started calling him David.”
I Will Find You is now streaming on Netflix.
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