Amazon Studios Acquires Film Rights to Akwaeke Emezi’s Forthcoming Novel — Pawners Paper

release of their novel and sixth book You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty, Amazon Studios has secured advanced film rights to the novel,

Amazon Studios Acquires Film Rights to Akwaeke Emezi’s Forthcoming Romance Novel

“One of the biggest book deals of the year”

It doesn't seem much of a news as to the incessant acquisition of film right and adaption of novels and books into movies. Recently, Amazon acquired the film right to Akwaeke Emezi's book titled "You made a fool of death"

Another win for Akwaeke Emezi! 

A whole year ahead of the release of their novel and sixth book You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty, Amazon Studios has secured advanced film rights to the novel, about “a young artist struggling to overcome the loss of an old love, while inviting a new one in.”

Deadline reports that “the book sold in a bidding battle, in the vicinity of high six against low seven figures, one of the biggest book deals of the year so far and one that was highly competitive. There were eight offers from studios, some with filmmakers attached.”

The film adaptation will be handled by Michael B Jordan’s new production company Outlier Society for Amazon Studios as part of a film and television deal signed by both. Akwaeke will serve as executive producer for the film.

Emezi’s novel, which takes its title from a lyric in indie rock band Florence + the Machine’s song, “Hunger.”,  follows “a beautiful Nigerian 29-year old aspiring artist in Brooklyn who loses her husband in a tragic accident. While she grieves through her art, her life begins to turn around when she meets a handsome new man at a party. And is given an introduction to a major curator who wants to launch her career in the art world. But even as romance takes her to a beautiful estate in the Caribbean, she struggles with the challenge of balancing grief with the desire to move forward with her life.”

This is the second screen adaptation of Emezi’s work, following their debut novel Freshwater, which is currently in development for series adaptation at FX. It is also the first since they signed up for film and television representation with Verve Agency.

With these, Akwaeke will be joining such authors as Wole Soyinka, Maaza Mengiste, Lauren Beukes, Tomi Adeyemi, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Lola Shoneyon on a growing list of authors to see their books grace the big screen.

You Made a Fool of Death will be released by Atria Books in 2022.

Congratulations to Akwaeke Emezi