The Lighthouse, the indie UK production co launched by former BBC Studios scripted chiefs Hilary Salmon, Radford Neville and Nick Betts that is backed by Sky Studios, has landed global TV rights to Juno Dawson’s YA book trilogy Clean, Meat Market and Wonderland.
Clean, about a teenage girl’s battle with heroin addiction and stint in rehab, was shortlisted for the 2019 YA Book Prize, while Meat Market, set in the world of fashion, is shortlisted for the 2020 edition. Wonderland, the third book in the trilogy and about a girl who receives a mysterious high-end party invite, will be published on May 28.
The option was negotiated by The Lighthouse with Marc Simonsson, the film, television and dramatic rights agent at MMB Creative. All three novels are published in the UK by Hachette Children’s Books.
“We have loved Juno’s novels for a very long time and so were really excited to read the manuscript for her latest book, Wonderland,” The Lighthouse team commented. “It is predictably brilliant and along with Meat Market and Clean creates a vibrant world where privilege and the upper reaches of society clash with the disadvantaged and the troubled. Juno’s voice is intimate, provocative and insightful whilst dealing with difficult subjects such as addiction and identity. Her novels articulate the complexity of growing up in these peculiar and exciting times and are bursting with unforgettable characters and pin-sharp dialogue. We feel privileged to be working with Juno to bring her novels to the screen.”
“I was incredibly impressed by The Lighthouse’s ambitious vision for the world that my young heroines occupy,” added Dawson. “It’s an epic, opulent version of London ruled by socialites and social climbers on a scale that few young adult shows have attempted before. On a personal level, The Lighthouse have been so welcoming and know the source material, arguably, even better than I do.”