David Farnor | On 06, Jul 2015

Update: Netflix has since revealed the teaser trailer to be fan-made. While we were surprised by the lack of official promotion alongside the video, it is not the first time that videos have been posted by the streaming service to YouTube without any fanfare – although these are usually posted to the Netflix account, rather than a new account associated with a fictional character. The quality, regardless, particularly the Netflix logo on the typewriter halfway through, is impressive and certainly worth a watch.

Netflix has released a teaser for its adaptation of Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.

The 13-part series of novels, which have sold more than 65 million copies around the world and been translated into 43 languages, follow three siblings, Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire, who are taken in by the nefarious Count Olaf when their parents pass away. Trying to learn the truth behind their parents’ death, their adventures are narrated by Lemony Snicket.

The teaser for the TV series, which is produced by Paramount (the studio behind the film version starring Jim Carrey), is our first glimpse of what Netflix’s take on the franchise will be like. The video was quietly posted yesterday on YouTube by a new account belonging to Eleanora Poe – the editor-in-chief of The Daily Punctilio and the sister of Arthur Poe, the Vice President in Charge of Orphan Affairs. Accompanied by Missed Me by The Dresden Dolls, the glimpse of Snicket’s study – full of mysterious books and creepy critters – only lasts 30 seconds, but leaves a fantastically dark taste in the mouth.

“On the search for fantastic material that appeals to both parents and kids, the first stop for generations of readers is A Series of Unfortunate Events,” Netflix’s Cindy Holland said in a statement announcing the project. “The world created by Lemony Snicket is unique, darkly funny, and relatable. We can’t wait to bring it to life for Netflix members.”

“I can’t believe it,” Snicket himself said, from an undisclosed location. “After years of providing top-quality entertainment on demand, Netflix is risking its reputation and its success by associating itself with my dismaying and upsetting books.”

Here’s the video:

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