Hollywood is Optioning Books Even Before Being Released

Crushed on by kelly, on May 17, 2013, in Books in the news / 2 Comments

Stages-of-Movie-ProductionHollywood is clearly on the search for the next “Big Thing” as they keep optioning books like mad and now even before the books have even been published. It is no surprise to me that this practice is happening and I am sure has happened a lot in the past too, but lately it seems like almost every new series in the Young Adult lexicon has been optioned just in case it is the new Hunger Games or Twilight.

Earlier this week, the big book news was that a newly graduated 22 yo, Victoria Aveyard, had her not yet published novel, The Red Queen (recently acquired by HarperTeen as a trilogy), was also quickly optioned by Universal Pictures. Hoping for Aveyard to be the  next Veronica Roth (Divergent -filming now) touting her as another young , edgy, dystopian writer.

Recently, we discussed how Julie Kagawa’s newest series, still untitled, had been optioned by Universal just a few days after HarperTeen picked up the series for publication.  Her other series The Immortal Rules has also been optioned by indie production company Palomar Pictures.

Dystopian is clearly the hottest thing to come to the movie screen and I am happy as I devour the genre like it’s going out of style! But I am really excited for one of my favorite novels, Blood Red Road (Dust Lands Series) by Moira Young which has been picked up by Ridley Scott for his own company, Scott Free Productions. RIDLEY fraking SCOTT!

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Now as we all know optioning the rights to a book does not mean a movie will be made, or hell even a TV show (I am still pissed about Fox TV passing on Delirium for being too young for their audience base). But a good story sometimes doesn’t hold up for what studio execs may expect for a successful franchise. With the swelling of the dystopian genre let alone the mass hysteria to make a successful movie franchise studios have gone gangbusters over this potential gold mine of work.

Here is a *tiny* sampling of other Dystopian, YA and New Adult books that may be coming to a big screen soon!

  • Vampire Academy – Blood Sisters  is already in pre-production based on the Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
  • Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi was optioned by Warner Bros
  • Switched (Trylle Trilogy) by Amanda Hocking was optioned by Media Rights Capital a movie production company
  • Tempest by Julie Cross was optioned by Summit
  • Shiver (Wolves of Mercy Falls) and The Scorpio Races both by Maggie Stiefvater have been optioned by associated production houses for Warner Bros.
  • The Raven Boys also by Maggie Stiefvater was also picked up but this one by New Lines Cinema
  • A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy) by Debra Harkness already has a screenwriter and producers attached to the project  for Warner Bros.
  • Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (author of the Delirium series) also has this stand alone story that is in the hands of 20th Century Fox
  • The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor was highly sought after but Universal Pictures won the rights.
  • Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi was picked up by 20th Century Fox
  • Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo has me ecstatic that is was picked up by Dreamworks and has David Heyman, Harry Potter famed producer, on board already!

 

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And of course you all better be waiting in those midnight opening lines to catch the first movie in The Mortal Instruments Series – City of Bones on August 23rd!!!!

 

 

 

 

So out of all the not yet in production titles above (or if we missed any), which are you most excited for??

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2 responses to “Hollywood is Optioning Books Even Before Being Released

    • kelly

      Changed it to a Wednesday? That is strange! But it just means we get to see it sooner!!! Yippeee! Thanks for the info Aileen!