Latest Acquisitions & Adaptations
By Georgie Cutler and Eva Lee
Acquisition News
An Introduction to LGBTQIA+ Parenting Acquired by Bluebird
The hosts of the Some Families podcast, Lotte Jeffs and Stu Oakley, are set to release From Gay to Ze: The Not-Straight Path to Parenthood with Bluebird. The publisher describes the book as a “must-have toolkit for queer parents” (The Bookseller). It plans to explore topics which are pertinent to the LGBTQIA+ parenting experience, including routes to parenthood – for example adoption and surrogacy – and dealing with homophobia. Jeffs and Oakley will discuss these topics through their personal experiences, alongside conversations with parenting experts and queer families. The world all language rights were acquired by Carole Tonkinson at Bluebird from Bergstrom Studio’s Abigail Bergstrom and Northbank Talent Management’s Martin Redfern.
Headline Acquires The Royal Wardrobe
Rising TikTok Star Rosie Harte lands a deal with Headline for her book The Royal Wardrobe. Harte, a fashion historian who has knowledge of the art and fashion industries, shares the clothing and history of the royal monarchy from the Tudors to the Victorians in her upcoming book. She mentions that “[t]heir clothes tell stories and hide secrets; you just need to know how to read them.” (The Bookseller) Senior commissioning editor Katie Packer claimed world rights from the author, and the book is set to be released 8 June 2023.
Piccadilly Press Lands Sci-fi Dystopian Book The Last Cuentista
The award-winning book of two titles including the Newbery medal and the Pura Belpré award has been acquired by Piccadilly Press. Donna Barba Higuera, the author of the book, shares that “it's beyond [her] wildest dreams that kids around the globe will travel with Petra to another planet hundreds of years into the future and read her tale of bravery, hope and the unifying power of stories.” (Bonnier Books) The book follows Petra Peña who finds out that earth will be destroyed by a comet and her family is chosen among the few who will journey onto a new planet. But, when Petra wakes, she discovers she is the only person who remembers earth. UK English language rights were acquired by Ruth Bennett, senior commissioning editor. It is set to publish as The Last Storyteller in the UK in September 2022.
From Book to Screen
What to watch?
My Policeman is coming to Amazon Prime Video
Adapted by Amazon Studios, My Policeman is based on the 2012 novel of the same name by Bethan Roberts. It features a star-studded cast, including the likes of Harry Styles, Emma Corrin, David Dawson and Rupert Everett. Set in the 1950s, the plot revolves around a love triangle between Marion (Corrin), Tom (Styles) and Patrick (Dawson). Years later, we meet them again as their lives become entangled once more. My Policeman will be released on Amazon Prime Video later this year.
In the works
Heartstopper picked up for two more series by Netflix
After a hugely successful release of the first series in April, Netflix is set to release two more series of the adaptation. Heartstopper is based on Alice Oseman’s graphic novel series of the same name. It currently has a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes – a rarity on the review site. Oseman is set to return as creator and writer of the upcoming series. See-Saw films is set to continue its production of the future series which will be distributed by Netflix.
My Life with the Walter Boys on Netflix
The upcoming Netflix series based on the Wattpad novel of the same name by Ali Novak is currently in pre-production. It is set to be produced by Ed Glauser and Melanie Halsall with a total of ten episodes for the first season. The series will star Nikki Rodriguez and Noah LaLonde in the leading roles, who act alongside Alex Gentry, Connor Stanhope, Johnny Link and Corey Fogelmanis. The series will follow Jackie Howard (Rodriguez), who moves to Colorado after a family accident and starts a new life with her new guardians and their twelve sons. There is currently no information on the release date other than that it is expected to air sometime soon.
Never Let Me Go adapted into a series
FX Productions have picked up the 2010 film Never Let Me Go, based on the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, which will be adapted into a new series. Previous producers of the film, Andrew Macdonald and Allon Reich, will serve as executive producers for the series alongside Melissa Iqbal for screenplay. Previously the film starred Keira Knightley and Andrew Garfield, but there is no information on casting for the upcoming series. The series follows children Kathy, Ruth and Tommy, childhood friends at an English boarding school called Hailsham, who find out they are human clones years later and have to navigate life and their identities. More information is expected to be released over time for the upcoming series – so stay tuned!