Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

Hollywood Reporter

Sony’s ‘Home Before Dark’ Enlists ‘There’s Someone Inside Your House’ Director, ‘The Invitation’ Writer (Exclusive)

Patrick Brice and Blair Butler are adapting Riley Sager’s novel for 21 Laps.

Sony is making moves on its adaptation of the 2020 novel Home Before Dark, adding filmmaker Patrick Brice to direct from a script by Blair Butler. 21 Laps, the Shawn Levy-led production banner behind Stranger Things and The Adam Project, is producing.

The plot of the film, which is in early development, is being kept under wraps, though Riley Sager’s book is centered on a young woman, Maggie, whose family fled their Victorian home 25 years earlier in an event that inspired her father to pen a best-selling nonfiction book claiming they experienced a haunting. Maggie, now an adult, doesn’t remember those events and doesn’t believe her father’s book. But when she inherits the old family home after her father’s death, she starts to question if there’s more to the house than she believed.

SVP Emily Morris and creative executive Emily Feher will oversee the adaptation for 21 Laps.

Brice most recently directed the slasher film There’s Someone Inside Your House for Netflix and cut his teeth on 2014’s Creep, the low-budget Mark Duplass starrer that became a cult hit and spawned a 2017 sequel. He also helmed episodes of the Duplass brothers’ Room 104 as well as the Sundance feature Corporate Animals, starring Demi Moore, Jessica Williams and Ed Helms, and The Overnight, starring Taylor Schilling, Adam Scott, Jason Schwartzman and Judith Godrèche.

Home Before Dark is a reunion for Sony and Butler, with Sony’s Screen Gems releasing The Invitation in theaters over the weekend. Butler’s previous credits include the 2019 horror film Polaroid and the 2018 slasher Hell Fest. She previously served as a producer on Hulu and Marvel’s series Hellstrom, and is developing Omega with Sony Pictures and Mortal Kombat director Simon McQuoid.

Brice is repped by CAA, Grandview and Jackoway Austen. Butler is repped by CAA, Industry Entertainment and Lichter Grossman. Sager is repped by Hotchkiss Daily & Associates and Trellis Literary.

The Sting by Flinder Boyd

DEADLINE

Matthew McConaughey To Star For Director Kari Skogland In Skydance/Berlanti Schechter Soccer Film ‘Dallas Sting’

EXCLUSIVE: Matthew McConaughey is set to star in Dallas Sting, the fact-based story of how a group of Dallas high school girls headed to China in 1984 as the ultimate underdog and beat some of the best women’s teams from China, Australia and Italy. Kari Skogland is attached to direct the film developed by Skydance and Berlanti Schechter Productions. Apple, which has an overall deal with Skydance, has first bite at the film and I expect a deal to happen before production begins this fall in New Orleans.

Skydance’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger are producing with Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Robbie Rogers. Michael McGrath is exec producer. Those producers won a movie auction to acquire an unpublished article by Flinder Boyd.

In the drama scripted by Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch (GLOW), McConaughey will play Bill Kinder, the coach who led the rag-tag group of Texas teens toward a Rocky-esque destiny. Long before the U.S. Women’s national team achieved Olympic and World Cup dominance, came the Dallas Sting.

In 1984, President Reagan made a concerted effort to open relations with China. China in turn invited America to send its U.S. Women’s Soccer Team to the first world championship they were holding for women’s soccer. There was only one problem – there was no U.S. Women’s Soccer Team. A nationwide search led officials to a 19-and-under league of Dallas high school girls who called themselves The Sting, after the recent Robert Redford-Paul Newman hit movie. Led by Kinder — who had no prior experience coaching soccer before he formed the team — the story of how this passionate group of young women got to China was miraculous. And what they did against the world’s top women’s teams from China, Australia and Italy — comprised of grown women who played together for years — was nothing short of a miracle.

In order to form the team nearly 40 years ago, Kinder had to get a note from a gynecologist asserting that playing soccer would not harm a woman’s reproductive organs. Texas parents who envisioned their daughters waving pom-poms at halftime soon became the cheerleaders for this eclectic mix of girls drilled to precision by a Lombardi-like coach, and became a local powerhouse. They then overcame bureaucracy just to be able to make the trip, and rose to the occasion despite being underdogs against dominant international teams. All this led by a coach who so believed in The Sting that he charged $85,000 on his credit cards for non-refundable tickets to ensure the team got to China, where many expected they would lose badly. Cue the Rocky theme music.

Skogland, Flahive, Mensch and McConaughey are all repped by WME. The scribes are managed by Kaplan/Perrone and Skogland is managed by Anonymous Content. Flinder Boyd was repped by Hotchkiss Daily & Associates.

The Residence by Kate Anderson Brower

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Shonda Rhimes Sets White House Murder-Mystery ‘The Residence’ at Netflix

The series, from Shondaland alum Paul William Davies (‘Scandal,’ ‘For the People’), is described as a “screwball whodunnit” that uses Kate Anderson Brower’s book as a jumping off point.

As Inventing Anna continues to rank in Netflix’s top 10, Shondaland has set another scripted original series at the streaming giant.

Shonda Rhimes and her longtime Shondaland partner Betsy Beers will executive produce The Residence, a mystery drama that has been ordered straight to series. The drama will use Kate Anderson Brower’s book, The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House, as a jumping off point to tell a new murder-mystery story.

The eight-episode drama is from showrunner and exec producer Paul William Davies, a Shondaland veteran whose credits include ABC’s Scandal and creating For the People (the latter of which starred Bridgerton favorite Regé-Jean Page).Here’s the official logline for The Residence, per Netflix: “132 rooms. 157 suspects. One dead body.

One wildly eccentric detective. One disastrous State Dinner. The Residence is a screwball whodunnit set in the upstairs, downstairs, and backstairs of the White House, among the eclectic staff of the world’s most famous mansion.”

The Residence will be produced in-house at Netflix via Shondaland’s overall deal as well as the multiple-year pact Davies has with the streamer. Davies, who has a doctorate in history from UC Berkeley, previously clerked for a federal judge in L.A. before practicing law for more than a decade.

The Residence continues Rhimes’ love of exploring the political world following her love of Aaron Sorkin’s The West Wing and her ABC political soap Scandal, which in addition to Grey’s Anatomy, helped to rocket the prolific producer to a global brand. Shondaland’s Netflix roster includes Bridgerton and the Rhimes-penned prequel and Inventing Anna, as well as anthology Notes on Love. Development of The Residence was first announced in July 2018 as Rhimes set her original Netflix slate. Netflix and Shondaland acquired the rights to Brower’s nonfiction book.

A premiere date for The Residence has not yet been determined.

Rhimes is repped by ICM Partners. Davies is with ICM Partners and Hansen Jacobson.

INSIDE JERRY FALWELL JR.’S UNLIKELY RISE AND PRECIPITOUS FALL by Gabriel Sherman

DEADLINE

Jerry Falwell Jr. Scripted Series In The Works From Vanity Fair’s Gabriel Sherman, Lionsgate TV & Groundswell Productions

EXCLUSIVE: A limited scripted series exploring the rise and fall of Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr is in the works.

Lionsgate Television has optioned Gabriel Sherman’s Vanity Fair article on Falwell Jr with the journalist and The Loudest Voice in the Room author adapting and exec producing his story with Michael London and Shannon Gaulding of Snowfall producer Groundswell Productions.

The article, which was published last month, tells the story of the Trump-anointing dark prince of the Christian right who was brought down by a sex scandal. He resigned in from Liberty in August 2020 after it emerged that a former Miami pool boy claimed he had been having a seven year affair with Falwell Jr.’s wife Becki and Falwell often liked to watch them have sex.

In the piece, Sherman spoke extensively to Falwell and Becki about the tumultuous events that led to his ouster, their fallout, and why he’s finally ready to admit he never had much use for his father’s church anyway.

The story will now be adapted as a limited series.

“Gabe Sherman is setting out to tell the story of a great American family business, where the business is religion.  It’s an untold story with a larger than life cast of characters amassing vast power and fortunes. Yes, there’s a sex scandal, one that consumed the life of Jerry Jr and his wife Becki, but what’s most surprising is the insight and empathy that Gabe brings to their very human struggle to be true to themselves,” said London, whose other TV credits also include SMILF and Magicians.

Sherman was represented by Hotchkiss, Daily & Associates, Management 360 and Frankfurt, Kurnit, Klein & Selz. Groundswell was represented by WME and Michael Schenkman

The Fireman by Joe Hill

Hollywood Reporter

Joe Hill’s ‘The Fireman’ in the Works as TV Series from Walden Media (Exclusive)

The project is based on the author's 2016 novel of the same name.

Joe Hill is lighting up a new TV project. The horror author is teaming with Walden Media to develop a series based on his 2016 novel, The Fireman.

In The Fireman, the United States is rocked by a plague that is highly contagious and causes those who are infected to burst into flames. Millions have caught the disease, nicknamed Dragonscale. There is no antidote. Cremation squads have popped up, roaming the streets to exterminate those they believe have Drgonscale. Amid this chaos, an infected nurse is set on a new path after a chance meeting with a mysterious man known as the Fireman.

Hill will executive produce along with Walden Media’s Frank Smith and Naia Cucukov. Hill, the son of Stephen King, has had his novel NOS4A2 adapted for AMC, while the upcoming Universal/Blumhouse film The Black Phone is adapted from his short story of the same name.

“We’re so excited to be working with celebrated author Joe Hill on The Fireman. I can’t imagine a timelier book to be developing into a series,” said Walden CEO Frank Smith in a statement. “The Fireman showcases a theme that Walden holds very dear — the idea of celebrating ordinary people who rise in extraordinary circumstances.”

The Fireman news comes as Walden is announcing several hires and promotions. Cher Harwysh departs Netflix to join Walden as svp of physical production. Jennifer Preston has joined Walden as vp of development. Julia Friley has been promoted to creative executive. Harwysh and Bosari will report to Walden CEO Smith, while Friley will report to Walden’s evp of development and production, Naia Cucukov.

The Walden-produced Finch, starring Tom Hanks, recently debuted on Apple. The company’s other credits include the Paramount film Rumble and Netflix’s The Babysitter’s Club

Mickey7 by Edward Ashton

DEADLINE

Bong Joon Ho Eyes Next Film At Warner Bros With Robert Pattinson In Talks To Star, Plan B Producing

EXCLUSIVE: After taking nearly two years to figure out his next project following his Oscar sweep in 2020 with Parasite, director Bong Joon Ho looks to have found his next film and is taking a certain Caped Crusader along for the ride. Sources tell Deadline that Bong is in talks to write and direct an untitled film based on Edward Ashton’s upcoming novel Mickey7 for Warner Bros, and that The Batman star Robert Pattinson is in talks to star. Bong will also produce the untitled film for his production company Offscreen alongside Dooho Choi for Kate Street Picture Company and Plan B.

The book will be published in in the first quarter of 2022 by St. Martin, a Macmillan imprint. While the film will be inspired by the novel, sources say that given Bong’s past experiences with adaptations, his version might ultimately be different from the novel’s. The novel’s story follows, Mickey7, is an Expendable: a disposable employee on a human expedition sent to colonize the ice world Niflheim. Whenever there’s a mission that’s too dangerous—even suicidal—the crew turns to Mickey. After one iteration dies, a new body is regenerated with most of his memories intact. After six deaths, Mickey7 understands the terms of his deal…and why it was the only colonial position unfilled when he took it. Peter Dodd is overseeing for the studio.

Following Parasite’s sweep of the Oscars including a Best Director and Best Picture victory, Bong has taken his time in figuring out his next steps. Towards the end of 2021, he was presented the manuscript for the unpublished book by Ashton, which immediately drew his interest. The Oscar winner became loosely attached to the project late last year and prior to the holiday break met with some of the town’s most promising stars as every A-lister in their 30s was chasing the role. It wasn’t long before Bong and execs were impressed with Pattinson following his meeting and felt he was perfect for the role, with an offer going out right before the new year.

The Warner Bros feature marks Bong’s second deal with WarnerMedia in recent months following an HBO limited series based on Parasite in the works with Bong executive producing alongside Adam McKay.

As for Pattinson, this would mark his first film he has signed onto since finishing production on the anticipated The Batman. Warner Bros has already shown how much it plans to stay in business with him by recently signing him to a first-look deal. The Batman bows on March 4.

The Devil Takes You Home by Gabino Iglesias

DEADLINE

 Sony Buys Gabino Iglesias Novel ‘The Devil Takes You Home’; Alejandro Brugués To Adapt & Direct

EXCLUSIVE: We hear that Sony has picked up the Gabino Iglesias novel The Devil Takes You Home in a competitive situation, a project that Cuban filmmaker Alejandro Brugués will adapt and direct. Brugués is a director on El Rey’s From Dusk Till Dawn series and recently helmed the thriller The Last Will and Testament of Charles Abernathy starring Peyton List, Rachel Nichols and Austin Stowell.

While the project and its storyline are still in early development, the Iglesias novel follows Mario who has but no choice, but to be a hitman to cover his family’s bills, especially his daughter’s medical tab. He’s presented with an offer: One last score that will either pull him out of poverty forever or put a bullet in the back of his skull. A man named Juanca needs help stealing $2 million dollars from a drug cartel. Together, they begin a journey to an underworld where unspeakable horrors happen every day.

Iglesias is a writer, journalist, professor, and literary critic living in Austin, TX. He wrote the critically-acclaimed and award-winning novels Zero Saints and Coyote Songs, which racked up nominations for the Bram Stoker Award, the Locus Award and the Wonderland Book Award. Coyote Songs was lauded with the Wonderland Book Award.  Iglesias has also served as a juror for the Shirley Jackson Awards twice and the Millions Tournament of Books.

Brugués’ feature directing credits include the segment “The Thing in the Woods” from 2018’s Nightmare Cinema, Juan of the Dead and Personal Belongings. Alex Rosario is the executive on the project at Sony.

Iglesias deal was done by Hotchkiss Daily and Associates on behalf of Melissa Danaczko at Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency. Brugués is repped by UTA, Wonder Street and Mark Wetzstein.

The Terminal Spy by Alan Cowell

Deadline

Benedict Cumberbatch To Headline HBO Limited Series About Poisoned KGB Agent Alexander Litvinenko

HBO is developing Londongrad, a limited series based on Alan Cowell’s book The Terminal Spy, about poisoned KBG agent Alexander Litvinenko, with Benedict Cumberbatch set to star as Litvinenko, Deadline has confirmed. Cumberbatch also will executive produce the project via his Sunnymarch production banner.

Written by David Scarpa, Londongrad tells the true story of Alexander Litvinenko, played by Cumberbatch, the former KGB agent poisoned by the radioactive isotope Polonium-210 in 2006 in England.

Scarpa will executive produce with Cumberbatch. Bryan Fogel will direct and executive produce via Orwell Productions. Len Amato of Crash&Salvage also will executive produce alongside Adam Ackland and Claire Marshall of Sunnymarch.

On the television side, Cumberbatch received Emmy and BAFTA award nominations for his role as detective Sherlock Holmes in BBC’s Sherlock. He also recently starred as the title character in Showtime limited series Patrick Melrose. Cumberbatch received a leading actor Oscar nomination for his work in The Imitation Game and currently plays Dr. Strange in the Marvel film franchise.

Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin

VARIETY

 Mindy Kaling, Amazon Studios Adapting Novel ‘Hana Khan Carries On’ as Film (EXCLUSIVE)

 Sahar Jahani is adapting the fresh take on 'Shop Around the Corner.

By Brent Lang, Matt Donnelly

 Amazon Studios and Kaling International are developing Uzma Jalaluddin’s novel “Hana Khan Carries On” as a film.

 The story puts a modern Muslim spin on a premise first made famous by the Ernst Lubitsch classic “The Shop Around the Corner,” which was later updated with Nora Ephron’s “You’ve Got Mail.”

 The novel follows two competing Halal shops. Hana’s family owns a restaurant called Three Sisters in the Golden Crescent neighborhood of Toronto, and its business is threatened when a more commercial, fusion-based eatery moves in down the street. The catch is that Hana and the owner of the other restaurant, Aydin, have an instant romantic connection. 

Sahar Jahani will write the script, while Mindy Kaling and Jessica Kumai Scott will produce via Kaling International.

Kaling co-created and executive produces the Netflix series “Never Have I Ever.” She is currently in production on the first season of her HBO Max/Warner Bros. Television comedy “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” and she is also executive producing and voicing the title character in Warner Bros. Animation’s upcoming HBO Max adult animated comedy “Velma.”

Kaling previously created and starred in “The Mindy Project” and also served as a writer, executive producer and star of “The Office,” earning six Emmy nominations for her work. In 2019, Kaling executive produced, wrote and starred in the feature film “Late Night.” She is also the author of the New York Times–bestselling books “Why Not Me?” and “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns).”

Jahani most recently wrote on “13 Reasons Why,” “The Bold Type” and the first season of “Ramy.” She was also a fellow of the 25th Annual Project Involve Program for Film Independent and is currently developing an original half-hour series with HBO Max, which will be produced by A24 and Ramy Youssef’s Cairo Cowboy.

Jalaluddin writes “Samosas and Maple Syrup,” a culture and parenting column for the Toronto Star. Her debut novel, “Ayesha at Last,” is a revamped “Pride and Prejudice” set in a close-knit Toronto Muslim community. An adaption is in development at Sony with Pascal Pictures, with Jahani on board to adapt.

Kaling is represented by CAA, 3Arts, The Lede Company and Ziffen Law. Jahani is represented by APA, RAIN Management, and Morris Yorn. Jalaluddin is represented by Hotchkiss Daily & Associates and Rees Literary Agency.

Island Queen by Vanessa Riley

‘Bridgerton’s Julie Anne Robinson & Adjoa Andoh Team On Screen Adaptation Of Vanessa Riley’s ‘Island Queen’

Julie Anne Robinson, fresh off an Emmy nomination for directing Bridgerton, has optioned Vanessa Riley’s recently released novel Island Queen to develop for television via her UK-based Longboat Pictures production company, with Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh attached to executive produce.

Island Queen is based on the true story of Dorothy “Doll” Kirwan Thomas, who was born enslaved, bought her freedom and became one of the wealthiest and most powerful landowners in the early 1800s Caribbean. Longboat Pictures secured the novel at the manuscript stage.

Robinson and Longboat co-founder and former ITV Senior Drama Commissioner Victoria Fea, will executive produce, along with Andoh.

“Vanessa has crafted a groundbreaking and inspiring story that vividly depicts the remarkable life of Dorothy Thomas,” Robinson said. “We are so excited to be bringing it to the screen, and I could not be happier to have this opportunity to continue the collaboration with Adjoa that began on Bridgerton.”

Island Queen, released by William Morrow this month, has been garnering critical praise, with The New York Times calling it “evocative and immersive.”

“In Island Queen, Vanessa has beautifully reintegrated the extraordinary history and perspective of an empowered black woman, into the wider story of Caribbean slavery and the British Empire. Putting history back into history, this is a story whose time is now.” said Andoh, who also serves as the narrator of the Island Queen audiobook. “I am so excited to be working alongside Julie Anne again at Longboat as we develop this project, bringing Vanessa’s vision and Dorothy’s astonishing true story to the screen.”

Two-time BAFTA- and DGA-nominated director Robinson received a Directing for a Drama Series Emmy nomination Tuesday for the pilot of Bridgerton, one of 12 nominations for Shondaland’s Netflix period drama. In addition to the pilot, Robinson directed and executive produced Episode 6 of Bridgerton‘s first season. Her other credits include Hulu’s Castle Rock, Showtime’s Masters of Sex, ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy, Fox’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine, NBC’s I Feel Bad, BBC’s Viva Blackpool, ABC’s The Middle and the movie The Last Song with Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth. Robinson is repped by LBI and Sloane Offer.

Andoh plays Lady Danbury in Bridgerton and next will be seen as Nneke in The Witcher on Netflix. Her other film and TV credits include Netflix’s Fractured, Adulthood, Cucumber on C4, and a series regular role in the BBC’s Doctor Who. Andoh is repped by Curtis Brown Group, Optimism Entertainment and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman.

Riley is an award-winning author of historical fiction and historical romance showcasing the hidden histories of women of color. She is repped by Sarah Younger at the Nancy Yost Literary Agency and Hotchkiss Daily & Associates.

The 22 Murders of Madison May by Max Barry

VARIETY

Orion Television to Develop ’22 Murders Of Madison May’ With ‘Flight Attendant’ Co-Showrunners (EXCLUSIVE)

MGM’s Orion Television has acquired the rights to the Max Barry novel “The 22 Murders of Madison May” for development, Variety has learned exclusively.

Meredith Lavender and Marcie Ulin will adapt the book for the screen in addition to serving as executive producers and showrunners. The story follows a woman traveling across different realities determined to stop a serial killer who is murdering the same victim over and over again, even if it upends her own reality.

Lavender and Ulin have previous experience working on literary adaptations for the small screen, most recently serving as the showrunners and executive producers of HBO Max’s hit series “The Flight Attendant” starring Kaley Cuoco. Season 1 of “The Flight Attendant” was based on the novel of the same name by Chris Bohjalian. The first season received strong reviews and awards consideration upon its release in 2020, including two Golden Globe nominations — one for best comedy series and other for Cuoco for best actress in a comedy series. It was picked up for a second season in December, though Lavender and Ullin will not return as showrunners for the second season. The pair also previously served as executive producers on the popular ABC music drama “Nashville.”

They are repped by ICM, Range Media Partners, and Morris Yorn.

Barry is the author of books such as “Jennifer Government” and “Lexicon.” Putnam in the US and Hodder & Stoughton in UK will publish “The 22 Murders of Madison May” in July 2021. Hotchkiss Daily & Associates represented the book’s television deal on behalf of Janklow & Nesbit Associates

Flim-Flam Man by Jennifer Vogel

DEADLINE

Sean Penn Cannes World Premiere ‘Flag Day’ Picked Up By MGM; Studio Eyes Theatrical Release This Year

MGM has taken North American distribution rights to Sean Penn’s upcoming Flag Day which is making its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this July. Penn directs, and also stars with his daughter Dylan Penn in what we’re already hearing is a sublime star-making role for the actress. The studio will release Flag Day via its marketing-distribution joint venture United Artists Releasing later this year.

The pic is based on Jennifer Vogel’s memoir Flim-Flam Man: The True Story of My Father’s Counterfeit Life and tells the story of the author’s coming of age, who Dylan Penn plays, over two decades while navigating a fraught relationship with her beloved, career criminal father, con man John Vogel, played by Sean Penn. Jez Butterworth (Ford v. Ferrari) adapted Vogel’s book for the screen.

Flag Day reps Sean Penn’s 30th anniversary at Cannes: His directorial debut, the MGM film The Indian Runner, made its world premiere on the Croisette in 1991. Sean Penn won Best Actor at Cannes in 1997 for She’s So Lovely, which was penned by the late John Cassavetes.

Flag Day also stars Josh Brolin (Dune), Norbert Leo Butz (Fosse/Verndon), Dale Dickey (Hell or High Water), Eddie Marsan (Ray Donovan), Bailey Noble (True Blood), Hopper Jack Penn (War Machine), and Katheryn Winnick (Big Sky). The movie is produced by William Horberg, p.g.a. (The Queen’s Gambit), Jon Kilik, p.g.a.  (Da 5 Bloods), and Fernando Sulichin, p.g.a. (Snowden), and features original songs by Cat Power, Eddie Vedder, and Glen Hansard. Vedder previously wrote music and songs for Sean Penn’s 2007 movie Into the Wild.

Said Michael De Luca, MGM’s Film Group Chairman and Pamela Abdy, MGM’s Film Group President in a statement “We were immediately captivated by Sean’s film – the outstanding performances from the entire cast lead of course by Dylan and Sean, Jennifer’s incredible life story, and the great care the entire filmmaking team took in bringing this true tale to the big screen after many years of willing it to be told. We are immensely proud to share this beautiful film with moviegoing audiences.”

“I’m particularly grateful that our film has been embraced by MGM. Mike DeLuca & his team are among the last true believers that, along with the advent of streaming, there remains a theatrical value to character driven films. I’ve known & admired Mike for many years, and there’s no one I’d rather throw the dice with,” said Sean Penn.

“Hearing the love and enthusiasm that Mike and his team at MGM have for bringing the movie to audiences was especially gratifying for the amazing good karma it represents. He was the first person we spoke to about developing the book with Jez as a movie for Sean Penn many moons ago. Dreams do come true,” said Horberg and Kilik

The deal was negotiated by CAA.

Abraham's Boys by Joe Hill

DEADLINE

’47 Meters Down’ Outfit Tea Shop Sets Natasha Kermani To Adapt & Direct Joe Hill’s Dracula Spinoff Story ‘Abraham’s Boys’

EXCLUSIVE: 47 Meters Down outfit Tea Shop Productions has signed writer-director Natasha Kermani (Lucky) to adapt and direct Locke & Key co-creator Joe Hill’s short story Abraham’s Boys as a feature film.

The action-horror story is a follow-up of sorts to Bram Stoker’s Dracula, testing the relationships Stoker formed in his original novel. The plot follows Max and Rudy Van Helsing, who know nothing of their father Abraham’s past and cannot understand his overprotective attitude and strange behavior. To make matters worse, Abraham is becoming increasingly more unhinged, paranoid, and violent.

Kermani’s adaptation is set to explore the boys’ trauma through the eyes of a young Asian woman who is no stranger to death.

The project will mark the third feature for Iranian American filmmaker Kermani, who last year played in SXSW with her genre film Lucky, which was picked up by Shudder.

Author Hill, the son of Stephen King, is known for novels The Fireman and Heart-Shaped Box. His comic book Locke & Key, co-created with artist Gabriel Rodriguez, became a hit on Netflix, while his third novel, NOS4A2, was adapted for TV by AMC. Several of his stories have been adapted for film including the upcoming Universal/Blumhouse movie The Black Phone.

London and Los Angeles-based genre specialist Tea Shop’s output has included box office hit 47 Meters Down and its sequel 47 Meters Down: Uncaged; The Informer starring Joel Kinnaman and Rosamund Pike; and Tower Block with Jack O’Connell.

“I’ve always loved Bram Stoker’s Dracula and was immediately drawn to Joe Hill’s unique and personal take on the legend of Van Helsing,” Kermani said. “Abraham’s Boys is an exciting opportunity to look at a familiar story through a new lens, and to explore classic characters and themes in a contemporary way.”

Tea Shop’s James Harris said: “I have always loved Joe’s short story, it has such an amazing tone and feel, so when we met Natasha we were blown away by how she wanted to approach it. Natasha is an exciting new filmmaker we are delighted to collaborate with.”

Kermani is represented by Talia Myers, Bec Smith and Julien Thuan at UTA and managed by Marc Manus at World Builder Entertainment. Hill is represented by Hotchkiss Daily & Associates for Film and Television.

The Broken Earth series by N.K. Jemisin

DEADLINE

Sony’s TriStar Lands N.K. Jemisin Book Series ‘The Broken Earth’ In 7-Figure Deal; Author To Adapt

EXCLUSIVE: In Sony Pictures Entertainment’s second seven figure deal this week for a multi-book series, TriStar Pictures emerged from a bidding battle to win The Broken Earth sci-fi trilogy by N.K Jemisin. The author will adapt the books herself. Sony, in partnership with Elizabeth Gabler’s 3000 Pictures earlier this week acquired the Don Winslow City on Fire trilogy for mid-seven figures.

Each book in Jemisin’s series — The Fifth Season, The Obelisk Gate and The Stone Sky — won the Hugo Award for Best Novel, making Jemisin the first person to win the Hugo Award three years in a row and the first person to win for all three books in a trilogy.

The Fifth Season establishes the setting, a harsh futuristic Earth and a continent called the Stillness, which endures seasonal apocalyptic events that shake the world and its inhabitants during these “seasons.” They hole up in communities and then rebuild. Key to that effort are “orogenes,” individuals who can draw incredible magical power from reservoirs of the Earth. They are trained for the task from childhood in brutal fashion, by a societal order called the Guardians. The orogenes kind of hold the world together and stave off eruptions, but they are treated badly.

The series has a devoted fan base and has sold millions of copies around the world. As well as the Hugo Awards, the first book won the Sputnik Award, was nominated for the Nebula Award and World Fantasy Award for Best Novel.

Shary Shirazi, Vice President of Creative Production, and Creative Executive Rikki Jarrett are overseeing the project for TriStar Pictures.

Jemisin is repped by Hotchkiss Daily & Associates on behalf of Lucienne Diver at The Knight Agency.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

DEADLINE

One Community Acquires ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ By ‘The Kite Runner’ Author Khaled Hosseini For Limited Series

EXCLUSIVE: One Community has closed a deal for The Kite Runner author Khaled Hosseini to adapt his 2007 novel A Thousand Splendid Suns into a limited series. The book has sold 17 million copies in 130 countries in 56 languages. Run by Scott Budnick, One Community is a social impact producer/financier whose first movie was the Michael B. Jordan-starrer Just Mercy, with Respect: The Aretha Franklin Story coming behind it this fall.

A Thousand Splendid Suns chronicles 30 years of Afghan history through a female lens, exploring the impact of war through a story of friendship and the triumph of love. This is the first TV property for One Community, who called the novel “one of the most beautifully written books I’ve read. It’s a powerful look at Afghanistan’s recent history, but also a deeply moving, hopeful and inspiring love story, and we are thrilled to be working with Khaled to bring it from page to screen.”

As a screenwriter Khaled previously wrote the pilot for Airport Weekend, the story of Becca Heller, the young lawyer who assembled the army of legal-aid lawyers who stormed U.S. airports to help arriving foreigners within hours of Trump declaring the Muslim ban. That project is being executive produced by Beau Willimon and Dan Fogelman.

Khaled’s deal was negotiated by Frankfurt, Kurnit, Klein & Selz and Hotchkiss Daily & Associates; Todd Rubenstein negotiated for One Community.

The Black Phone by Joe Hill

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Universal Sets Winter 2022 Release For Blumhouse Scott Derrickson Horror Movie ‘The Black Phone’

Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions have selected Jan. 28, 2022 for the release of Scott Derrickson’s next movie The Black Phone. Uni already had the date on hold for a Blumhouse title, and this is the one.

The Black Phone is currently the only wide release on that date, coming in the wake of Sony/Marvel’s Morbius on Jan. 21. There currently aren’t any wide releases scheduled for the weekend after, Feb. 5-7.

The Black Phone reps Derrickson’s return to horror. Before Marvel’s Doctor Strange, the filmmaker directed such genre titles as Sinister, The Exorcism of Emily Rose and Deliver Us From Evil.

In The Black Phone, Finney Shaw, a shy but clever 13-year-old boy, is abducted by a sadistic killer and trapped in a soundproof basement where screaming is of little use. When a disconnected phone on the wall begins to ring, Finney discovers that he can hear the voices of the killer’s previous victims. And they are dead set on making sure that what happened to them doesn’t happen to Finney.

 4x Oscar nominee Ethan Hawke stars with newcomer Mason Thames. The Black Phone is produced, directed, and co-written by Derrickson. He co-wrote with C. Robert Cargill (Doctor Strange, Sinister franchise), based on the award-winning short story by Joe Hill from his New York Times bestseller 20th Century Ghosts. Pic is produced by Derrickson & Cargill’s Crooked Highway. Jason Blum also produces with the duo, with EPs being Hill, Christopher H. Warner and Ryan Turek.

The Inheritance Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin

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N.K. Jemisin’s ‘The Inheritance Trilogy’ To Be Developed As TV Series By Searchlight TV & Westbrook Studios

EXCLUSIVE: Searchlight Television has optioned N.K. Jemisin’s seminal fantasy book series The Inheritance Trilogy for series development. Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook Studios has come on board to produce the project, envisioned as an epic, live-action ongoing fantasy series. A search is underway for a writer, director and talent to board the adaptation.

The Inheritance Trilogy, published by Orbit Books, is comprised of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, the first book in the series, followed by The Broken Kingdoms and The Kingdom of Gods.

In the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, recently named as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time, gods dwell among mortals and one powerful, corrupt family rules the earth. Three extraordinary people may be the key to humanity’s salvation. The book also won the Locus Award.

David Boorstein, SVP, Head of Scripted TV at Westbrook Studios will executive produce with Westbrook’s Co-President, Head of Television, Terence Carter. Searchlight’s VP of TV Development Danny Samit and Gina Kwon, Head of Development and Production will oversee the project for Searchlight TV.

“N. K. Jemisin is one of the most creative and prolific fantasy novelists of our time. Her epic storytelling and fierce, powerful character work render complex, multicultural worlds that truly stand out in a genre too often painted with a monochromatic brush,” Carter said. “We’re excited to partner with the team at Searchlight to bring her incredible, award-winning trilogy to life on screen.” 

Jemisin is a 2020 MacArthur Fellow and the first author in the genre’s history to win three consecutive Best Novel Hugos, for her Broken Earth trilogy. Her most recent novel is the NYT-bestselling The City We Became.

Westbrook Studios, which is behind the Emmy-nominated Facebook Watch series Red Table Talk, recently launched six-part docuseries Amend: The Fight for America on Netflix. The studio also recently received a two-season order from Peacock for Bel-Air, the dramatic reboot of Will Smith’s iconic The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air based on Morgan Cooper’s 2019 viral short film.

I Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncan

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‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’: Madison Iseman Among Nine Cast In Amazon’s YA Horror Series

EXCLUSIVE: Amazon Studios and Sony Pictures Television have cast the new group of teenagers (and a couple of adults) at the center of the I Know What You Did Last Summer series reboot.

Madison Iseman (Jumanji: The Next Level), Brianne Tju (Light as a Feather), Ezekiel Goodman, Ashley Moore (Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping), Sebastian Amoruso (Solve), Fiona Rene (Stumptown), Cassie Beck (Connecting), Brooke Bloom (Homecoming) and Bill Heck (I’m Your Woman) are set to star in the YA horror series, a modern take on the hit 1997 slasher film. Production will begin this month in Hawaii.

Written by Sara Goodman (Preacher) based on the 1973 novel by Lois Duncan, the I Know What You Did Last Summer series has the same premise as the movie adaptation: In a town full of secrets, a group of teenagers are stalked by a mysterious killer a year after a fatal accident on their graduation night.

Character descriptions are not being released, though Iseman is believed to be the lead, similar to Jennifer Love Hewitt in the movie franchise.

Goodman will write and executive produce along with executive producers Shay Hatten, Original Film’s Neal Moritz and Pavun Shetty, Erik Feig and Atomic Monster’s James Wan, Rob Hackett and Michael Clear. Craig Macneill will serve as director and executive producer for the first episode.

Iseman is best known for her role in Sony’s Jumanji franchise opposite Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillian, Kevin Hart and Jack Black. She originally appeared in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle as one of the four teenagers who discover an old video game console and literally are drawn into the game’s jungle setting, and also returned in Jumanji: The Next Level. Iseman will next be seen as the lead in the Lionsgate thriller Fear of Rain. Iseman is repped by Paradigm, Ryan Daly of Zero Gravity Management, Morris Yorn Barnes Levine Krintzman Rubenstein Kohner & Gellman.

Tju is a two-time Emmy-nominated actress for her role as Alex Portnoy on the hit Hulu series Light as a Feather. Most recently she can be seen in the film 47 Meters Down: Uncaged, alongside John Corbett and Nia Long. She has guest-starred in series including The CW’s iZombie, NBC’s A.P. Bio, Save Me and Chicago P.D. among others. She is represented by Curtis Talent Management and Innovative Artists.

Goodman was most recently studying in the MFA Acting Program at the University of Southern California School of Dramatic Arts. In addition to other acting work, he was a member of iO Theater and The Annoyance Theater in Chicago, and appears in the forthcoming feature by filmmaker Meredith Johnston. He is repped by Lighthouse Management and Media, and Eric Brooks at Goodman Genow.

Moore’s first acting job was a featured role in Judd Apatow’s Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, and she has also appeared as a guest star on Freeform’s Alone Together. She is repped by Luber Roklin Entertainment, Gersh and Skylaw.

Amoruso most recently completed shooting a recurring role in Snapchat’s original series Solve. While attending the famed Stagedoor Manor, Amoruso starred in a number of musicals including Heathers the Musical and the US Premiere of Prom Queen. He is repped by Brookside Artist Management and CESD talent agency.

Chinese-American actress Rene is best known for her role of Kara Lee on ABC’s Stumptown. Other credits include Grey’s Anatomy, Jane the Virgin, among others. She is repped by LG Management and Encompass Talent.

Beck recurs on NBC’s pandemic-life comedy Connecting and has an upcoming role opposite Mark Wahlberg and Connie Britton in the buzzy feature from TIFF, Good Joe Bell. She originated the role of Aimee in the Tony Award-winning play The Humans on Broadway, in London and Los Angeles, and most recently appeared opposite Marisa Tomei in the Broadway revival of The Rose Tattoo. Beck is repped by Matthew Lesher at Insight Entertainment and Artists & Representatives.

Bloom returns to Amazon where she appeared in Sam Esmail’s Homecoming and the political satire Alpha House. Most recently, Bloom recurred on Season 3 of USA’s The Sinner opposite Matt Bomer and Bill Pullman. On the film side, Bloom had supporting turns in Jeremy Hersh indie The Surrogate and Eric Steel’s Minyan. Bloom is repped by Talentworks and One Entertainment.

Heck plays the young version of Jeff Bridges’ Dan Chase in FX’s upcoming The Old Man. He can also be seen starring in the Netflix series Locke & Key and Apple TV+ anthology series Little America. He is repped by Gersh, manager Perry Zimel and attorney Diane Golden.

August Snow by Stephen Mack Jones

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Keegan-Michael Key Headlines ‘August Snow’ PI Drama In Works At ABC From Paul Eckstein & Imagine TV Studios

EXCLUSIVE: In a competitive situation, ABC has landed August Snow, a drama starring and executive produced by Keegan-Michael Key. It hails from Godfather of Harlem co-creator/executive producer Paul Eckstein, Imagine Television Studios and CBS Studios where Imagine has a deal. Written by Eckstein based on Stephen Mack Jones’ “August Snow” novels, the drama has received a script commitment plus penalty.

August Snow (Key) is a biracial former detective who grew up in Detroit’s Mexicantown. After a distinguished military career, he joined the force like his father, only to be drummed out by a conspiracy led by corrupt cops and politicians. August hit back, winning an $18 million wrongful dismissal lawsuit, then packed his bags to travel the world. The series will open with August returning home to the city he has deep affection for in search of himself and reconnecting with his roots while also facing enemies on both sides of the law. August becomes a private investigator, a Robin Hood from the hood, gathering a group of unexpectedly talented misfits to help him solve cases, invests his money to help reinvigorate his city in despair, and save himself along the way.

Michigan native Key, who is biracial, and Eckstein executive produce with Brian Grazer and Samie Kim Falvey for Imagine TV Studios, Gaspin Media’s Jeff Gaspin and Tony Sabistina as well as Key’s producing partner Elle Key. Jones serves as a consulting producer. James Seidman and Nicole Scott will oversee the project for Imagine.

Published in 2017, “August Snow” is Jones’ first novel and the first book in a trilogy for which he won the Nero Award for excellence in mystery writing, as well as the Hammett Prize awarded by the International Association of Crime Writers for excellence in crime writing.

Gaspin Media acquired the book, partnered with Keegan-Michael and Elle Key, and brought the project to Imagine.

Keegan-Michael Key is coming off starring roles in two major holiday movie musical releases, Netflix’s The Prom and Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey. He also co-starred in streamer’s Dolemite is My Name. His last live-action series regular role was in the Netflix comedy Friends From College.

Key co-created and headline, alongside Jordan Peele, Comedy Central’s influential sketch series, Key & Peele, which won an Outstanding Variety Sketch Series Emmy Award as well as a Peabody Award. He also hosted Game On! on CBS and Nat Geo’s Brain Games and voiced Disney’s animated hits Toy Story 4 and The Lion King. Key is represented by UTA and attorney Dave Feldman.

Eckstein is the co-creator/executive producer of Epix’s breakout drama series Godfather of Harlem. Prior to that, he was a writer-producer on Of Kings & Prophets for ABC and Narcos for Netflix. He is repped by Rain Management Group and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.

This broadcast development season, Imagine TV Studios also has drama Family History in the works at NBC. The company’s current series slate includes Joe Exotic, starring Nicolas Cage, which is in development at Amazon Studios, as well as Wu-Tang: An American Saga for Hulu, Why Women Kill for CBS All Access, Swagger for Apple and Outliers for HBO Max.

Gaspin Media is behind First Ladies, starring Viola Davis, at Showtime, Rhythm + Flow at Netflix, and a documentary feature for Netflix. Additionally, Gaspin Is executive producer on ABC’s To Tell the Truth and Spectrum/Fox’s LA’s Finest. Gaspin Media, whose scripted television division is headed by Sabistina, is currently in an overall deal with AGC Television.

Stephen Mack Jones was represented on behalf of Stephany Evans at Ayesha Pande Literary by Hotchkiss Daily & Associates.

Locke and Key renewed for Season 3

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‘Locke & Key’ Renewed For Season 3 At Netflix As Co-Showrunner Meredith Averill Signs Overall Deal With Streamer

The Keepers of the Keys will continue as Netflix has handed supernatural thriller Locke & Key a third season.

Co-showrunner Meredith Averill has also signed an overall deal with the streamer for TV series and other projects.

It comes as production on season two is set to wrap in Toronto this week and filming for season three will pick up immediately in the new year. Season two will air in 2021.

The show, which comes from Averill and co-showrunner and exec producer Carlton Cuse, was renewed for a second season in March, a month after the first season launched. The first season of Locke and Key starred Darby Stanchfield, Connor Jessup, Emilia Jones, Jackson Robert Scott, Laysla De Oliveira, Aaron Ashmore, Petrice Jones, and Griffin Gluck.

Based on the comic books by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez, the coming-of-age supernatural drama follows the Locke siblings after their father is murdered under mysterious circumstances. The three siblings and their mother move into their ancestral home, Keyhouse, which they discover is full of magical keys that may be connected to their father’s death. As the Locke children explore the different keys and their unique powers, a mysterious demon awakens — and will stop at nothing to steal them.

Cuse and Averill will continue as co-showrunners on the show, which comes from IDW Entertainment. For season three, they exec produce alongside John Weber and Frank Siracusa for Take 5, Kevin Lafferty, Joe Hill, Ted Adams, Chris Ryall and Lydia Antonini for IDW, and Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, David Alpert and Rick Jacobs for Circle of Confusion.

“Carlton and Meredith have built an incredible world in Locke and Key and we’re excited to have the Lockes return for more in the third season,” said Brian Wright VP of Overall Deals for Netflix.  “I’m delighted to expand our creative partnership with Meredith Averill, a talented creator with a keen eye for best-in-class horror and supernatural storytelling.”

“I’m incredibly grateful to have found a home at Netflix where I feel constantly supported, challenged and inspired. I look forward to continuing and expanding our relationship,” said Meredith Averill.

“We have some incredible adventures in store for the Locke family in season three, and could not be more excited to continue telling our story with our great partners at Netflix,” added Carlton Cuse.