EXCLUSIVE: Blumhouse Television has acquired the rights to the Japanese-language novel Hi No Ko (Sparks) written by Shusuke Shizukui and published by Gentosha. Krystal Houghton Ziv (Wolf Pack, The Purge) will write the psychological thriller pilot for the U.S. TV adaptation and executive produce.
The original novel follows Takeuchi Shingo, a serial murder suspect whom retired judge Kajima Isao acquitted two years ago, who moves in next door to the home where Kajima and his family live. Takeuchi grew up starving for the affection of his parents and does everything he can for the people he likes. He has a charming smile, tasteful gifts, and cares for the elderly. However, he gets violent if people start to avoid him. He wins the hearts of the Kajimas with effusive goodwill, but a series of inexplicable incidents starts to occur in the area near their house. Yukimi, the wife of Isao’s son Toshir, realizes Takeuchi’s true nature and tries to expose him even though she is isolated from the family.
The book was previously adapted into a Japanese television miniseries, which aired in 2016 as the inaugural title in Fuji TV Network’s new drama slot. It received the highest first-episode satisfaction rating among all season premieres, according to Data News Inc. survey.
Executive producers include Mark Amin, Cami Winikoff, and Dave Devries for Sobini (The Apprentice, Dead Man’s Wire), and Motoko Kimura (A Moment to Remember, LDK).
Shizukui made his literary debut in 2000 with Eiko Itto. Since then, he has produced numerous bestselling works, including Sparks (Hi No Ko), which has sold over 770,000 copies. Many of his works have been adapted for film and television.