It’s been almost two years since the third season of “Shtisel,” the Netflix hit about the Jerusalem Ultra-Orthodox family of the same name, finished airing, but fans of the show may have something very excited to look forward to.
It appears that show co-creator Yehonatan Indursky working currently working on a spinoff of the show, which follows audience favorite and the man who popularized the expression “resho’im arurim” (accursed villains) Nuchem, played by the great Sasson Gabai.
Gabai confirmed to Walla’s Sagi Bin Nun that he heard that writing of the spinoff is in advanced stages, but said that he hasn’t yet seen any lines from the script yet. The Israeli Abot Hameiri productions is involved in the hopefully upcoming show. Yes, the studios behind “Shtisel,” did not confirm the news to Walla.
Gabai did add that he is “very excited and happy. I hope it happens and soon,” and celebrated “Shtisel’s” international appeal and fans.
Nuchem is, of course, the brother of ultra-Orthodox Shtisel family patriarch Shulem (Dovale Glickman) and the father of Libby (Hadas Yaron,) who was Akivah’s (Michael Aloni’s wife) wife. We don’t know if this will be a sequel or prequel, but I’d personally love to get some Nuchem backstory! Maybe the show will even go international and give us some insight into Nuchem’s life overseas.
Gabai is an Israeli TV and film legend. He recently starred in an episode of “WeCrashed” and as Israeli leader Shimon Peres in the movie “Oslo,” as well as in the Broadway production of the film “The Band’s Visit,” in which he originally starred, along with his son, actor and director Adam Gabay (who also starred in HBO’s “Our Boys.”) So it will be amazing to see him as the principal character of this show.
There’s really not much information yet about the spinoff, but since a fourth season of “Shtisel” has never been confirmed, this may be what we get instead. Honestly? I’m not complaining (though here’s hoping that Michael Aloni, Shira Haas, and other “Shtisel” cast-members will also be involved!)
Indursky is currently working on other incredibly promising projects, like an biographical TV series about the life of Theodor Herzl, based on the leader’s personal diaries, and on a limited series based on Leonard Cohen’s tour of Israel during the Yom Kippur war. So this spinoff may be a longer wait than anticipated. Most devoted “Shtisel” fans though are more than happy to wait patiently for whatever the show’s creators deign to give us — after all, we waited almost three years between the show’s first two seasons’ initial drop on Netflix and the third season’s premiere.
In other intriguing “Shtisel” news, a Turkish adaptation of the show titled “Ömer” is currently in the works. The show will follow the same premise as the original show’s first season — but will take place in Turkey’s ultra-Orthodox Muslim community instead.
“’Shtisel’ is a very unique format that can be adapted to almost every culture and religion,” the founder of OGM Pictures, the Turkish production company that acquired the show, said.
