We are so pleased to share this exciting news from Deadline‘s report:
Locksmith Animation (Ron’s Gone Wrong) has optioned Marissa Meyer’s New York Times bestselling novel series The Lunar Chronicles for film, the London-based CG animation producer announced today.
The series published by Feiwel & Friends is comprised of titles including Cinder (2012), Scarlet (2013), Cress (2014) and Winter (2015), which reimagine the stories of classic fairy tale heroines.
The books are set in a futuristic world, beset by a pandemic, where Earth and its former colony Luna exist in a perpetual state of unrest and tension. In the first book, Cinder, a teenage cyborg of the same name (modeled after Cinderella) deals with her wicked step-mother, finds love and discovers secrets about herself. As the series continues, she forges an alliance with spaceship pilot, Scarlet; imprisoned computer hacker, Cress; and the Lunar princess, Winter. Along with a diverse crew that includes a soldier, a criminal and a royal guard, they must work together to rise up against the evil Queen Levana to save the country and possibly even the world.
“We are huge Marissa Meyer fans and cannot wait to bring Cinder, Scarlett, Cress and Winter to a worldwide audience through the talents of our extraordinary team,” said Locksmith’s CEO Natalie Fischer. “This unforgettable series has garnered huge praise and popularity and we are determined to give this material the treatment it deserves.”
“I am absolutely thrilled to be working with the team at Locksmith to adapt The Lunar Chronicles for the screen,” said Meyer. “Everyone has shown so much enthusiasm for these books and characters, and hearing about Locksmith’s vision for the project gives me the best kind of chills. I am as eager as readers are to see Cinder, Prince Kai, and the rest of the Rampion Crew brought to life with stunning animation, and a lot of love!”
“At Locksmith, we are always looking for material that will give viewers a contemporary and authentic perspective,” said Co-Founder and President of Production Julie Lockhart, who was also the producer on Ron’s Gone Wrong. “Marissa’s books successfully turn well known fairy tales into an epic, modern saga that is engaging and relevant to today’s audiences. We could not be more thrilled about collaborating with her on bringing her vision to life through animation.”
Meyer has also penned such titles as Heartless and The Renegades Trilogy, as well as the graphic novel duology Wires and Nerve. Apart from her writing, she’s best known as the host of podcast The Happy Writer. She holds a BA in Creative Writing from Pacific Lutheran University and an MA in Publishing from Pace University.
Locksmith Animation’s debut film Ron’s Gone Wrong, from directors Sarah Smith (Arthur Christmas) and Jean-Philippe Vine (Inside Out), was released by 20th Century Studios and Disney on October 22, subsequently making the BAFTA Long List in the Best Animated Film category and landing two Annie Award noms. The film penned by Smith and Pete Baynham is currently available for streaming on Disney+, HBO Max and a variety of other digital platforms.
Locksmith is currently in production on That Christmas, a holiday film based on the children’s book series by filmmaker Richard Curtis, and is also developing an original musical comedy that has been set up at Warner Bros. Pictures.
Meyer was represented in the deal for The Lunar Chronicles by CAA in association with Jill Grinberg Literary Management.