Bridgerton creator Chris Van Dusen is set to tackle another popular book adaptation. He has signed on to co-write and executive produce an TV adaptation of Adam Silvera‘s 2017 New York Times bestselling novel They Both Die At The End.
The book is set in the near future and follows teenagers Mateo and Rufus, both strangers, who have both received calls from Death-Cast, a company that is able to predict the death of individuals. With only 24 hours left, the two boys manage to find each other and dedicate their final hours to truly living.
Overcoming their traumas, fake skydiving, and saying their goodbyes are just some of the things the boys encounter in what’s been described as a contemplative, heart-wrenching novel. The book also made history as the first young adult novel featuring a queer Latinx lead to reach number 1 on the New York Times Bestseller list.
This actually isn’t the first time an attempt at adapting the book has been made. Back in February 2019, it was announced that HBO has picked up the novel for a half-hour miniseries. Chris Kelly (Broad City) was set to direct with J.J. Abrams and Ben Stephenson as executive producers. However, the project was quietly fell through.
Following that failed effort, Entertainment One acquired the rights to Silvera’s novel last spring. Van Dusen will pen the script alongside Silvera himself.
This is the first project Van Dusen is pursuing after departing from Bridgerton. He served as the show’s creator and showrunner for its first two seasons before electing to leave and pursue other interests. Jess Brownwell will take over his role on the show, which has already been confirmed for third and fourth seasons at the streaming giant.
Van Dusen previously worked on Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, and Scandal, so he has plenty of experience with big TV shows. They Both Die At The End already gained popularity across social media last year, so there should be plenty of interest in the adaptation.
There’s also going to be further books the show can draw from, as Silvera has already announced a prequel novel focusing on the rise of Death-Cast and revolving around a new set of star-crossed lovers. That one is titled The First To Die At The End, and will be published in October.
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