Latest Acquisitions & Adaptations
By Georgie Cutler, Eva Lee, Emma Leask, Molly Pearce and Niamh Parr
Acquisition News
Bloomsbury acquires rights to Anderson’s empowering book
Gillian Anderson, of Sex Education fame, to name just one of her on-screen appearances, is set to release a book exploring women’s sexual fantasies. Rights were acquired for this powerful upcoming book by Bloomsbury Publishing, with a release date yet to be confirmed. Anderson has encouraged women to send in letters to her at deargillian.com, by 28 February, with her intention being to create a book which shows what it means to be a woman through an honest exploration of their real desires (The Guardian). Anderson has encouraged women from all backgrounds to submit to her; she wants the book to represent anyone regardless of nationality, class or sexuality. There is no doubt that this book is going to be an inspiring, generation-defining book which gives women a voice on an important topic they’ve previously been unable to speak freely on.
Fitzcarraldo to Publish Sheila Heti’s Work of Alphabetised Diary Entries
Over the course of ten weeks, author Sheila Heti wrote a serialised newsletter for subscribers of The New York Times featuring excerpts from her diaries which were alphabetically ordered. The project was a way for Heti to explore who she is as a person and question whether that has or hasn’t changed over the years that she has been keeping her diaries. Her newsletter has now taken on a novel form with Alphabetical Diaries being acquired for publication in early 2024 by Fitzcarraldo in the UK, FSG in the United States and Knopf Canada. Alphabetical Diaries has also been optioned for TV rights by the streaming entity Hulu. Heti’s upcoming book will be turned into a series produced by Hunting Lane, with Jamie Patricof and Katie McNeill producing.
From Book to Screen – What to watch?
One True Loves coming to cinemas
Another novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid is making its way to the big screen. Based on the 2017 novel of the same name, One True Loves focuses on adventure-loving hodophile Emma. When Emma discovers her husband Jesse has gone missing in a helicopter crash, she must come to terms with the fact that he might never return. Whilst trying to learn how to find happiness again, Emma rediscovers her old friend Sam, whose support of her leads their friendship to develop into a relationship. When Emma discovers Jesse is still alive, she must figure out who her heart truly lies with. Phillipa Soo stars alongside Luke Bracey and Simu Liu in this adaptation coming to cinemas on 7 April. You can also watch One True Loves on Apple TV from 14 April.
The Last Thing He Told Me coming to Apple TV
A new thrilling adaptation of Laura Dave’s The Last Thing He Told Me is coming soon to Apple TV. The story follows Hannah, a woman who is left alone with her teenage stepdaughter when her husband Owen suddenly disappears. Bailey, who lost her mother as a child, does not get along with her stepmother, but due to her father’s disappearance they set out together to discover the truth. As they uncover more mysteries about Owen, a series of unexpected events awaits them. The series will star Jennifer Garner as Hannah and Angourie Rice as Bailey.
In the Works
David Nicholls One Day adapted into Netflix TV series
Highly beloved 2009 romance novel One Day is being turned into a Netflix TV series, after the film adaptation was released in 2011. The upcoming Netflix show will star Ambika Mod from This Is Going To Hurt as the female protagonist, and Leo Woodall from The White Lotus as the male protagonist. The story follows Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew, two very dissimilar people living two very opposite lives, who are somehow drawn to each other despite all odds. Year after year, they find themselves meeting in one way or another. The film version of One Day is a highly loved adaptation, and we wonder if the Netflix adaptation will be just the same. Currently, there is no release date but the series is expected to hit Netflix in the summer of 2023.