The movie rights to Marlon James’ new novel, Black Leopard, Red Wolf, have been snapped up by Outlier Productions the company owned by actor Michael B Jordan and entertainment giant Warner Brothers.
This is the second novel by the Jamaican author to be snapped up by
Film producers. His celebrated work
A Brief History of Seven Killings, which won the prestigious Man Booker Prize in 2015, was optioned for a
Film by
HBO, however that is yet to materialise.
James calls
Black Leopard, Red Wolf, â??an African
Game of Thrones,â?* and the
book has been favourably reviewed with
The Star Tribune calling it a â??standard bearer for future fantasy novelsâ?*, while
The Washington Post said it was â??spectacularâ?*,
BookForum described it as â??brilliant and bold,â?* and the
New York Times dubbing it â??Gripping, action-packedâ?¦.The literary equivalent of a Marvel Comics universe.â?*
Based in African mythology, the story follows Tracker, who has a keen sense of smell. He’s hired to find a missing child against a backdrop of competing kingdoms and violent political upheaval. The story touts a wild cast of characters including a witch, a shape-shifting leopard, a murderous hyena, and conjoined twins.
Jordan, who starred in the hit movies
Black Panther, Creed and
Creed 2, formed Outlier Society in 2016 with a focus on bringing diverse stories and voices to the market. His own breakout performance came in the 2013 indie drama
Fruitvale Station â?? the dأ©but of director Ryan Coogler â??playing the victim of a police shooting.
James will remain an executive producer on the project.
â??I think in the West we’re a little too obsessed with the idea that a story told must be truth,â?* he said in a media interview. â??Whereas in African storytelling, a lot of African storytelling, you already know that the trickster is telling you the story… I have no duty to tell it true or not. It’s your job to judge if I’m lying or not,â?* he added
â??It would be interesting to see how [the novel] would be adapted, because I still think our cinematic language of sci-fi and fantasy is still very European â?? particularly fantasy, and my
book is not even remotely European,â?* said James.
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