RESIDENT EVIL PRODUCER ADAPTING POPULAR YA VAMPIRE SERIES FOR THE BIG SCREEN (AND IT'S NOT TWILIGHT)

Back in the mid-2000s, The Twilight Saga spawned an endless interest in the fantasy YA genre, with countless authors making a shift towards vampires, werewolves, angels, and all things supernatural. Now, a popular young adult book series serving as the perfect Twilight replacement is heading to the big screen.

Producer Victor Hadida (Resident Evil and Silent Hill franchises, The Crow) and Molly Hassell (the upcoming The Return to Silent Hill, Terminal, The Crow) are officially developing an adaptation of the House of Night novels. The bestselling YA adult series came from the mother-daughter P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. The upcoming adaptation will have critically acclaimed director Rain Li (Bejing, New York) at the helm, who will co-write the script with author P.C. Cast with Davis Films and Hassell Free Production.

Highland Film Group launched sales at the European Film Market. The producers plan to turn the House of Night into a franchise and are set to turn the first installment, Marked, into the first film.

The book series was published between 2007 and 2014, and it consists of 12 main books and 4 novellas. The series took a different approach to new vampires, styled as "vampyres" in the House of Night. The first installment was titled Marked, and it followed Zoey who has to go to a boarding school for vampires who teaches them how to become one once they've received a mark on their forehead, which changes colors when becoming a vampire.

The official synopsis reads: "Zoey's life is forever changed when a genetic mutation marks her as a vampyre fledgling, forcing her to leave everything behind and get to the House of Night, a boarding school where the Marked learn to endure their transformation. As she navigates the highs and lows of teenage love, shifting friendships, and newfound independence, Zoey discovers she possesses extraordinary gifts that set her apart - making her both revered and feared in a vampyre world already steeped in magic."

P.C. Cast shared about the new adaptation, "I’ve been working closely with Molly and Rain to bring this film to fruition, and could not be more proud of the work they have done in respecting our universe. Our fans have been waiting many years to see their beloved characters and their journeys come to the screen, and we are beyond excited at what they will see."

Li added, "I have long loved the unique universe that P.C. and Kristin have created in their beloved books. I am so excited to cinematically realize their vision for new audiences as well as the millions of avid followers of the books."

The House of Night Was Supposed to Become a TV Series

The interest in the book series was high at the height of the series. House of Night sold over 31 million copies across more than 40 countries in over 30 languages, with a huge dedicated fanbase. Similar to Twilight, Fallen, The Vampire Academy, and more, House of Night was supposed to have been adapted years ago.

A film adaptation was in the works in November 2010, when Lionsgate, which distributed Twilight, got the rights to adapt the series with producer Samuel Hadida's Davis Films, which had the rights until 2020. Surprisingly enough, the upcoming adaptation comes from the same production company, Davis Films, with the late producer Samuel Hadida's brother, Victor, set to produce.

In 2022, Kristin Cast announced on social media that a TV show was in the works. She wrote on Facebook, "A House of Night TV show is in the works! PC and I had a great dinner with our new executive producer a couple months ago. There’s stuff we can’t tell you yet, but I’m happy to say that the project is still very much alive!" The project didn't end up happening, but it's now being turned into a feature film.

House of Night doesn't have a cast or a release date.

Source: Hassell Free Productions

2025-02-18T07:21:01Z