There Is A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC At Sony
Sony wanted A Darker Shade of Magic and now they have just that. The studio has won a fierce bidding war for the rights to Victoria Schwab’s young adult fantasy series.
Gerard Butler will produce the adaptation through his G-Base productions along with Alan Siegel and Danielle Robinson. They are joined by Neal Moritz, who has a first-look deal at Sony, and Schwab. Originally when G-Base acquired the rights to the novel, they had planned for a television series with Schwab penning the pilot. She has now confirmed on her Twitter that she is not writing the script, simply producing.
I am a producer and have a LOT of creative control.
— Victoria/V.E. Schwab (@veschwab) February 24, 2017
Just producing 😉
— Victoria/V.E. Schwab (@veschwab) February 24, 2017
Darker Shade is about Kell, who is a magician and the last of his kind who can travel between parallel universes that are connected by one magical city; in this case, London. The four worlds within the city are: Grey London (where they believe magic is a myth); his home Red London (where magic is revered); White London (where they fight over magic); and the unspeakable Black London (where magic has overpowered the people). When Kell meets Delilah Bard, a pickpocket, he ends up in a universe-hopping adventure that sets off events that could change the face of every universe.
The book was released in February 2015 with the rights available. It’s only been in the last few weeks that the fight for the series began, with Sony beating Fox 2000, Lionsgate, and eOne to name a few. With this purchase also comes the following two books, A Gathering of Shadows, released in 2016, and A Conjuring of Light, released last week. This trilogy provides the chance for the companies to create a film franchise.
Moritz’ last production was the sci-fi movie Passengers with Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence. His next is The Fate of the Furious, which will open in April.
As an actor, Butler has finished the environmental disaster film Geostorm and action thriller Hunter Killer, which he also produces. He is set to reprise his role of Mike Banning for Angel Has Fallen, and will appear in the psychological thriller Keepers.