Anne of Green Gables set for new life on CBC-TV

Anne of Green Gables, oneof Canada'smost beloved literary heroines,is getting a makeover with a new CBC-TV series.

A female-led team of award-winning producers has signed on to create a new version of the Lucy Maud Montgomeryclassic simplyentitled Anne, which will follow a similar storyline to the original novel about the spirited13-year-old but also "chart new territory."

Production for an initialeightepisodes isslated to begin this spring, with an eye on a 2017 debut more than 30 years after CBC-TVfirstbrought Anne Shirley into Canadianhomes withthe miniseries Anne of Green Gables.

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"Adapting Anne's story really excites me," said Moira Walley-Beckett, CanadianEmmy-winner producer of Breaking Bad andGolden Globe nominee for Flesh and Bone as well asone of the executive producers of the new project.

"Anne's issues are contemporary issues: feminism, prejudice, bullying and a desire to belong. The stakes are high and her emotional journey is tumultuous. I'm thrilled to delve deeply into this resonant story, push the boundaries and give it new life."

Walley-Beckett will produce the project with fellow Canadian Miranda de Pencier (Thanks for Sharing, Beginners) and colleaguesAlison Owen (Suffragette, Temple Grandin) and Debra Hayward (Pride and Prejudice, Les Misrables).

Montgomery'stalesabout the thered-headed orphan Anne Shirley havelong inspired creators of TV,filmand the stage: there have beenmore than two dozen differentadaptations over the years.

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The character is regularly referenced in pop culture and her stories continue to draw myriadtourists to Prince Edward Island, her fictional home.

The announcement quickly sparked excitement among fans online.