AWA Strikes Deal With Evelyn Waugh, Langston Hughes Rightsholder For Film, TV & Graphic Novel Adaptations

By Max Goldbart, Deadline

EXCLUSIVE: Film and TV adaptations of works by the likes of Evelyn Waugh and Langston Hughes could be incoming following a deal struck between Artists, Writers & Artisans (AWA) and International Literary Properties (ILP).

Fremantle and Sister-backed AWA will collaborate with ILP on the slate of projects, with a view to developing some into film and TV adaptations and others into graphic novel reimaginings. The first project from the deal has been set and will be unveiled shortly.

ILP holds the rights to numerous literary estates including that of Waugh, Hughes, Ann Rule and James M. Cain, and it has struck deals for projects such as Playground and Red Arrow Studios International’s Inspector Maigret adaptation. The company has a first-look deal in place with BBC Studios.

AWA, meanwhile, launched in 2018 and publishes graphic novels along with producing TV and film, such as the upcoming Chariot from Top Gun: Maverick’s Joseph Kosinski, and Hotell, from Elle Calahan and Anthony Ruff. Under Hollywood vet Zach Studin, the outfit’s film and TV studio opened two years ago. The company counts Elisabeth Murdoch and Jane Featherstone’s Sister, James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems and Fremantle as backers. The studio has around 25 projects in active development.

The ILP deal came hot off the heels of AWA’s graphic novel reimagining of The Great Gatsby. AWA Co-Chair & President Matthew Anderson called ILP a “preeminent owner of literary rights with an incredible roster of authors and iconic works spanning a wide variety of genres.”

“We saw a tremendous reaction to our latest reimagining of a classic tale and see a big opportunity to work with ILP to introduce iconic stories to new audiences with a fresh spin,” he added.

Hilary Strong, ILP’s CEO for UK and Europe, added: “Our creative approach to rights management means that we look for strategic partnerships which enable us to take our rich library of works to new audiences in the most creative of ways.”

AWA is represented by Grandview.