Antoine Fuqua and Hill District Media are set to develop and produce Sky’s End, a feature adaptation of the New York Times bestselling novel by Marc J. Gregson. The YA dystopian published earlier this year by Peachtree Teen follows exiled teenager Conrad, who enters the Selection of the Twelve Trades to rescue his sister from his evil uncle and get revenge. Set on islands that float above toxic black clouds, Conrad joins an airship crew to battle monsters in the skies.
Gregson, a teacher, went viral when he posted a video showing his students the cover of his debut novel. The video received nearly six million views and the book became an instant New York Times bestseller upon its release week. The book is the first in a planned trilogy with the second book set to release in early 2025.
Kat Samick, Justin Bursch, and Sam Levine will produce the film under Hill District Media. Bob Higgins will serve as an executive producer on behalf of Trustbridge Entertainment, which acquired all dramatic rights to the book from Peachtree Teen.
In considering a screen adaptation of Sky’s End, Trustbridge’s President Higgins told Deadline in a statement, “Hill District was at the top of our partner wish list. Antoine Fuqua has an unparalleled track record for telling stories with fascinating but flawed heroes, complex relationships, high stakes, and, often, big action. It’s a perfect match.”
“The teams at Hill District Media and Trustbridge Entertainment are author-focused, and I’m heartened that Marc will be involved in developing the book for the screen,” said Peachtree’s Subsidiary Rights Director Farah Géhy. “This collaboration will make for an amazing film.”
Gregson said about his excitement, “I genuinely cannot wait for readers to see the world of the Skylands—with its horrifying monsters, epic battles, and memorable characters—come to life on the big screen.”
Founded by Fuqua in 1996, Hill District Media’s slate includes The Magnificent Seven, The Equalizer franchise, and Brooklyn’s Finest, as well as series like Fox’s medical drama The Resident and Amazon’s The Terminal List.
The deal for the rights to Sky’s End was brokered by Géhy of Peachtree Teen, Trustbridge President Higgins, Trustbridge EVP Business Operations Richard Frankie, and attorney Deb Lintz of Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole on behalf of the film team. Fuqua is repped by WME, LBI Entertainment, and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole; Gregson by Heather Cashman of Storm Literary Agency.
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