EXCLUSIVE: Euphoria producer A24 has turned to a series of self-published, TikTok-famous novels for its latest project out of the UK, Deadline understands.
The independent studio has snapped up the rights to Jessa Hastings‘ Magnolia Parks universe books, which went viral on TikTok and have been described as Gossip Girl in high society London.
The Magnolia Parks project is understood to be a reasonable way into development, with A24 close to signing off partnerships for the series. The company declined to comment.
Firmly in A24’s zeitgeisty wheelhouse, the first novel follows the story of beautiful but neurotic London socialite Magnolia Parks and BJ Ballentine, the bad-boy lothario who broke her heart.
Hastings’ second book, Daisy Haites, expands on Magnolia’s world by following fellow London “It Girl” Haites, the heiress to a criminal empire who is desperately pursuing a normal life.
The third and fourth books return to Parks and Haites’ perspectives respectively. They are titled Magnolia Parks: The Long Way Home and Daisy Haites: The Great Undoing.
The Magnolia Parks hashtag has more than 68M views on TikTok, with scores of young women posting videos declaring their love for the series. #JessaHastings has a further 27M views.
Hastings, who was born in Australia and now splits her time between London and southern California, retained film and TV rights as part of publishing deals for the books last year.
She has turned to A24’s UK team, which is co-led by Piers Wenger, the former BBC director of drama who oversaw breakout hits including Normal People and I May Destroy You. Former BBC Film boss Rose Garnett works alongside Wenger.
Other TV projects on A24’s UK slate include an adaptation of Douglas Stuart’s 2020 Booker Prize-winning novel Shuggie Bain, which is set up at the BBC. It is also adapting Yomi Adegoke‘s The List for the BBC and Max.
UK publisher Orion Fiction holds world rights to Hastings’ books, while Bloom Books has U.S. rights.
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Source: DLine
