J.K. Rowling will add screenwriter to her credits, adapting her short Harry Potter-related book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them for Warner Bros. in an “expanded creative partnership.” The studio came to Rowling with the concept and “I thought it was a fun idea, but the idea of seeing Newt Scamander, the supposed author of ‘Fantastic Beasts,’ realized by another writer was difficult…. As I considered Warners’ proposal, an idea took shape that I couldn’t dislodge. That is how I ended up pitching my own idea for a film to Warner Bros.” She underscores in the announcement, “I always […]
Film/TV
Book News: A Lahiri Novel, Algonquin’s Teen Line, Adaptations and ALA Award Candidates
Pulitzer Prize winner for INTERPRETER OF MALADIES Jhumpa Lahiri‘s THE LOWLAND–her second novel after THE NAMESAKE–will be published on September 24 by Knopf (and by Bloomsbury UK). It’s the second book in their deal from 2006, reportedly for $4 million. The Fox Network has ordered a pilot for an adaptation of Lauren Oliver‘s DELIRIUM. Bookseller Mitchell Kaplan’s Mazur/Kaplan Company is executive producing with Chernin Entertainment and 20th Century Fox Television, with the pilot written by executive producer Karyn Usher wrote the pilot which Fox just approved. In the day’s most unusual adaptation news, Hilary Mantel’s Booker-winning duo WOLF HALL and BRING […]
People, Etc.
Doris Cooper has been promoted to vp, associate publisher at Clarkson Potter, continuing to report to Pam Krauss. At Blue Rider Press, Sarah Hochman has been promoted to executive editor. Fast-growing digital publisher Entangled has signed a first-look film deal with John Davis’s Davis Entertainment, which produces for 20th Century Fox. Entangled owner and publisher Liz Pelletier will oversee the relationship for the Entangled, and was represented by The Gersh Agency. Cleveland Plain Dealer book editor Karen Long is leaving her position to to manage the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards. Arts reporter Joanna Connors will take over as book editor. Author and editor […]
Random House Adds Television Development Unit, In Partnership with Bertelsmann’s FremantleMedia
Random House has announced formal details about their planned expansion into television development that was mentioned in February, following coverage of Random House Films branching out beyond their exclusive deal with Focus Features to produce and develop books into movies with multiple partners. The new Random House Television unit has a first-look deal with Bertelsmann’s FremantleMedia for TV programming based on Random House books. Jeffrey Levine has been hired as head of television for Random House Television, reporting to Peter Gethers–president of the rebranded film and tv division now officially rebranded as Random House Studio– and working out of FremantleMedia’s […]
Random House Films Branches Out Beyond Focus Features
In further updates, the Hollywood Reporter ran a story last week on recent activity by Random House Films (as well as Macmillan’s movie development team) which left us confused about the direction of the RH unit. Since it was founded in 2005, Random House Films has focused on developing, co-financing and co-producing movies based on books in partnership with Focus Features. While the enterprise has yet to achieve the “substantial slate of feature films” envisioned at the outset, Random House spokesman Stuart Applebaum says the venture “continues ever-forward under its founding leader and president, Peter Gethers.” So far the only […]
People, Etc.
Regan McMahon has joined Common Sense Media as book editor, managing their network of book reviewers who provide “information for parents so that they can make great media choices for their families.” McMahon had been a book editor at the San Francisco Chronicle and a blogger for the paper’s parenting blog. The TNT television show Rizzoli & Isles, based on the series of books by New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen, has been renewed for a third season. The 2011 Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers’ Awards of $25,000 each, for “women writers who demonstrate excellence and promise in the early […]