After a competitive bidding war, Sony and 21 Laps have secured the rights to adapt Home Before Dark, a thriller novel by bestselling author Riley Sager. The book has not yet been published – Tuesday, June 30 is the date – so studios obviously wanted to get in there quickly before the price shot up even more if the book is released to acclaim.
The story revolves around a woman who returns to the house made famous by her father’s bestselling horror memoir. She seeks to discover if the house is really haunted as her father claimed. 25 years earlier, she moved with her parents into the rambling Victorian estate in the Vermont woods. They only spent three weeks there before fleeing in the dead of night.
That story is tried-and-tested, and when it stems from a bestselling author like Sager, it makes sense that Sony and 21 Laps would want to quickly get a movie adaptation into development. Advance copies of the book must be making the rounds to a good reception. It’s also perhaps not surprising that the book sounds very Stephen King-esque, considering Hollywood’s new obsession with his work post-IT.
Obviously this is in the very earliest stages of development, but one imagines plenty of big names actresses will be circling the lead role. Who will Sony and 21 Laps get to direct? It’s probably no surprise that 21 Laps’ Shawn Levy is also a producer on Stranger Things, as this may have a similar vibe.
#Peace.Love.HomeBeforeDark
