Lion Forge Entertainment Secures Rights To BEST WISHES Book Series By Sarah Mlynowski

In a competitive bid, Lion Forge Entertainment has won the rights to Sarah Mlynowski's New York Times' bestselling literary series "Best Wishes" and will build a multi-picture, live-action franchise around the popular tween books. Founder and CEO David Steward II, Stephanie Sperber, President and Chief Creative Officer, and Jennilee Cummings, Senior Vice President, Live Action, will produce for Lion Forge Entertainment.

The "Best Wishes" books each focus on a different girl, in a different city, each of whom gets a mysterious package in the mail containing a magical bracelet and instructions on making a wish. Each wish, dealing with a unique, grounded, coming-of-age challenge, comically escalates until the true lesson is learned and the box magically reappears with a new name and address to send onward, continuing the enchanting journey. Through the bracelet's power, each girl discovers not merely what she wishes for, but what she truly needs.

The first film will be based on the first book in the series, "Best Wishes," which follows 13-year-old Becca Singer, who, on the eve of her Bat Mitzvah in New York City who wishes to be popular. As Becca grapples with her overwhelming new popularity and its unforeseen consequences, the story unfolds into a magical tale on navigating family, middle school and the trials and importance of genuine friendship.

Eydie Faye (The Slumber Party, Fuller House) is writing the script.

Published by Scholastic Press, "Best Wishes" first debuted in September 2022. The second book in the series, "Best Wishes: The Sister Switch" was co-written by Debbie Rigaud and published in April 2023. "Best Wishes: Time After Time" co-written by three-time Newbery Honor recipient Christina Soontornvat is the third book in the series and was published in November 2023. The fourth book, "Best Wishes: Like a Boss" is co-written by Hena Khan and is set to be released in November 2024.

"We immediately knew we wanted to make these movies because of Sarah's unique and incredible ability to speak authentically to the tween audience and also because of the diversity of the characters and stories in each book," said Steward and Sperber. "We love the idea of a series of movies that are aspirational, fun and linked together by a mythology to create a world and a franchise that deal with today's challenges and themes that are important to families."

"I'm thrilled to be working with the creative minds at Lion Forge Entertainment. Eydie Faye's script perfectly captures the magic of the book series, and I'm beyond excited for the readers of Best Wishes to see these four strong heroines come to life," said author Sarah Mlynowski.

Sarah Mlynowski is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author and coauthor of over 50 books for teens, tweens, kids and adults, including the "Whatever After" series, the "Magic in Manhattan" series, the "Best Wishes" series and the "Upside-Down Magic" series, which was adapted into a Disney Channel movie.

A mission-driven entertainment company founded by David Steward II, Lion Forge Entertainment focuses on content that is both authentic and appealing to a broad audience. Having recently expanded its production slate to include live action as well as animation, the company develops and produces animated and live action content targeting the kids & family and YA audiences, building on the success of earlier Lion Forge Animation projects including the Oscar-winning "Hair Love," and the highly anticipated series "Iyanu," for MAX and Cartoon Network.

The "Best Wishes" deal continues a hot run for Lion Forge Entertainment that has seen the company close a first-look deal with Nickelodeon Animation; enter into an alliance with Penguin Random House to develop film and TV projects based on popular children's books published by Penguin Young Readers; and set a strategic global content partnership with advertising giant Dentsu.

Lion Forge maintains a strategy to monetize its own IP to build franchises, as well as to create new IP that can be leveraged across its publishing businesses.

Lion Forge Entertainment is represented by Activist Artists Management. Sarah Mlynowski is represented by CAA, Laura Dail Literary Agency, and Myman Greenspan. Eydie Faye is represented by Independent Artist Group and Cohen & Gardner.

About the "Best Wishes" Books:

"Best Wishes"

Becca Singer is having the Worst Day Ever. Her best friend, Harper, has dumped her, and Becca is friendless and alone.

Then the box arrives in the mail.

Inside, Becca finds a bracelet and a mysterious note telling her to make a wish. So Becca puts on the bracelet-why not, right? - and wishes to have friends. Lots of friends. So many friends.

And just like that, the magic works. Suddenly, EVERYONE wants to be Becca's BFF, from all the kids at school to the teachers (!) to Becca's own mom (!!). As things quickly spin out of control, Becca starts to wonder, Is this wish a curse?

"Best Wishes: The Sister Switch"

Ten-year-old Addie Asante of Columbus, Ohio, is sick of being the middle sister. Her big sister, Sophie, can do whatever she wants, and her little sister, Camille, is totally spoiled. When Addie receives a mysterious box in the mail containing a magical bracelet-and a note from a girl in New York named Becca-she's intrigued. Addie makes a wish on the bracelet to no longer be in the middle and suddenly-POOF-she's literally transformed into her big sister!

At first, getting to be Sophie is amazing: Addie is allowed to hang out at the COFFEE SHOP after school, have her own room, AND participate in the school talent show... this is the life! But as her new long-distance friend Becca warns Addie, this wish-granting bracelet isn't ALL THAT it seems. Having A WISH COME TRUE can get really messy really fast. Plus, in a twist of magical chaos, Addie's big sister has become THE BABY sister, and Addie's baby sister is living as ADDIE! With friendships-and school tests-on the line, and a sneaky stranger determined to get her hands on the magic bracelet... can Addie and her sisters find a way to switch things BACK before it's too late?

"Best Wishes: Time After Time"

Lucy Usathorn of Fort Worth, Texas is super excited for her class trip to the Natural History Museum, where her dad works. Sure, Ms. Brock, the strict school librarian who happens to be dating Lucy's dad (awkward) is chaperoning, but it'll still be the best day ever, right?

Wrong! Lucy has to watch in shock and humiliation as her dad proposes to Ms. Brock. Lucy is distraught. If only she could do this whole day over from scratch...

Enter the magic bracelet. It arrives in the mail, with a long letter from Addie, a girl in Columbus, Ohio, who had the bracelet last time. The bracelet grants wishes, and Lucy knows just what to wish for: a do-over day, where she'll fix everything and most importantly, prevent her dad from proposing to Ms. Brock.

The wish comes true-but not quite as Lucy expected. Her day keeps repeating over and over, and things keep getting worse in unique (and hilarious) ways. With the help of her new long-distance friends, Addie and Becca, will Lucy be able to figure her way out of this time loop...before it's too late?

"Best Wishes: Like a Boss"

Maya Amir of Washington, D.C can't catch a break. Not only has she lost her bedroom to visiting relatives, but she lost out on becoming president of the environmental club...to her best friend. Awkward! When Maya receives a magic bracelet in the mail, she wishes to be in charge. And it works: She's the new head of the club! Maya is thrilled...until her teacher asks her to take charge of the whole class. Uh-oh. Next, Maya finds herself in charge of her entire school. Suddenly she's comforting crying kids, chasing gerbils, and unclogging toilets in the teachers' lounge. And just when it seems like life can't get more chaotic, Maya is put in charge of something even bigger: The country!

With help from family, friends, and the girls who had the magic bracelet before her, can Maya lead the way to a brighter future?

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