Warner Bros Finds Their Next Harry Potter Franchise
Warner Brothers executives have been in panic mode in recent years, as their Harry Potter spin-off franchise Fantastic Beasts has underperformed at the box office, ultimately fizzling out. Now, the studio heads believe that they have found their next latest and greatest IP, which will catapult the studio to new heights in the coming years. Warner Bros has acquired the exclusive rights to make a film adaptation of Keeper of the Lost Cities, a young adult fantasy series that has appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list.
The Keeper Of The Lost Cities
The Keeper of the Lost Cities franchise centers on a 12-year-old elf named Sophie, who lives in California with her adoptive family of human beings. After being contacted by another elf, Sophie discovers that she has telepathic powers, connecting her to a distant fantasy land full of elves, trolls, goblins, and other fantasy creatures. To discover more about her true identity, Sophie must travel to these mysterious lands known as the Lost Cities, where she eventually attends an academy for elves called Foxfire.
The Novels Span Nine Books And Counting
Former Paramount head Emma Watts is attached to produce the first Keeper of the Lost Cities film, with series author Shannon Messenger as executive producer. The novel series spans nine books, collectively selling over seven million copies worldwide. The next installment of the hit novel series is currently on pace to release this November.
Warner Bros Is Looking For The Next Hit Young Adult Fantasy Adaptation
Young adult novel adaptations have become a flagship genre for big-budget studios, with franchises such as Twilight, The Hunger Games, and The Maze Runner each becoming cultural touchstones in their heyday. Of course, the most successful franchise in this vein is Harry Potter, which launched the craze with its first outing, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone, in 2001. While there’s no way to know if Keeper of the Lost Cities will see the same massive success as Harry Potter, which spanned eight movies over 10 years, Warner Bros execs certainly seem to think they have a hit on their hands.
The Adaptation Is In Good Hands
Watts seems like a no-brainer to produce the forthcoming film franchise, as her previous efforts at Fox and Paramount have seen massive returns on investment. The executive is credited for helming such massive franchises as Deadpool, Kingsman, Maze Runner, and Avatar, as well as several standalone blockbusters such as Bohemian Rhapsody and The Martian. There’s no word yet on the production timeline for the first Keeper of the Lost Cities project. However, Warner Bros execs are likely scouting screenwriting talent to collaborate with Messenger on the official screenplay.
Will It Be As Big As Harry Potter?
While Keeper of the Lost Cities may sound a bit cliche in its synopsis, the series has inspired a lot of love from the public, and even sparked something of a bidding water between major film studios. In 2021, Disney was in talks to launch an adaptation of the series, though the deal ultimately fizzled out for unknown reasons. Now that Warner Bros has locked in on the highly sought-after IP, more info regarding the cast and crew of the first Keeper of the Lost Cities film should come soon.
Source: Deadline
