Mention Harry Potter and big-screen adaptation, and the bean counters at the major Hollywood studios are going to feel their pulses race. But Jo Rowling doesn’t have a new chapter in the boy wizard’s story to tell (not yet, anyway). Instead, Potter producer David Heyman has gone looking for the next big YA fantasy sensation, and he believes he has found it in Shadow and Bone.
Novelist Leigh Bardugo published the book, the first in a reported trilogy, back in June. Now Deadline states that Heyman has snatched up rights to the series and will co-produce with Jeffrey Clifford.
The plot follows a young girl coming to terms with some newfound powers who must master her abilities if she hopes to protect her country for a dark force known as the Shadow Fold, which the trade describes as “a creature-filled darkness.” That sounds like it could translate into a fascinating visual.
Said DreamWorks production president Holly Bario about the project, "We found not just a fantastic story [in Shadow and Bone], but one set in a mystical and fascinating world that will translate well to the big screen. We are excited to begin adapting this book and look forward to working with David Heyman who has unparalleled proven success in this genre.”
That’s an understatement. Obviously, since the Potter franchise broke the bank (several banks, to be more accurate), Hollywood has been looking for something to fill the void. Audiences flocked to The Hunger Games, and that four-part series will roll on with three additional films. Could the hero of Bardugo’s literary series become the next Katniss Everdeen? And who will Heyman find for the film’s coveted roles? Deadline says the second book in the series, titled Siege and Storm is due to hit stands June 2013. Could the film adaptation of Shadow be in theaters shortly after?
