Leading independent studio Entertainment One (eOne) announced today it has acquired television rights to THE ROCKS, the best-selling novel by Peter Nichols. BAFTA nominated Tom Harper (War & Peace, Peaky Blinders, Misfits) will direct with Laura Eason (House of Cards, Sex with Strangers) attached to write the scripted series. Harper will also produce the show, with Josh Varney, Ben Pugh & Eleanor Moran of 42 and Academy-Award nominated Fred Berger (La La Land) and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones (Midnight Special) of Automatik serving as executive producers.
Set on the stunning Mediterranean island of Mallorca, The Rocks is a love story and a mystery, told in reverse. It begins in the present day with the death of an older married couple who fall from one of the island's many cliffs after an argument. From this striking opening, the story rewinds through time, following the intertwined lives of the duo and their families over the course of half a century.
"Dark, funny and romantic, with a unique narrative twist, The Rocks grabbed me from the very first page," said Harper. "I'm incredibly excited to bring this story to the screen, and couldn't ask for better collaborators than Laura, 42, Automatik and eOne."
"Peter's novel combines romance and intrigue with a breathtaking backdrop and story structure perfect for a riveting series. We're thrilled that Tom and Laura are on board to bring it to life," said Pancho Mansfield President, Global Scripted Programming, eOne Television. "We are enthusiastic to launch our television relationship with Josh Varney, Ben Pugh and Fred Berger and the teams at Automatik and 42 with this bold series."
"We're delighted to be partnering with Tom, Laura and eOne to adapt The Rocks, a thoroughly irresistible novel filled with romance, glamour, mystery and enthralling characters. This dream team will no doubt capture the magic of Peter's brilliant writing and we can't wait for audiences to see this compelling story on screen," said Varney, Berger and Kavanaugh-Jones.
Peter Nichols' latest best-selling fictional novel, The Rocks, was published in 2015 by Heron Books in the UK and Riverhead Books, a division of Penguin Random House in the US. His other novels include A Voyage for Madmen which was a finalist for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year in 2001, Evolution's Captain and his memoir, Sea Change: Alone Across the Atlantic in a Wooden Boat. His first novel Lodestar was nominated for the Dublin IMPAC Literary Award.
The series, developed in the US and the UK, is being spearheaded by eOne's Carolyn Newman and Polly Williams. eOne controls worldwide rights to the series. Tom Harper is represented by UTA and 42, and Laura Eason is represented by Writ-Large and WME.
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