Studiocanal Secures Rights to Upcoming Freida McFadden Novel ‘The Divorce’ for Film Adaptation
Studiocanal Acquires Rights to Freida McFadden’s Thriller ‘The Divorce’
Studiocanal has secured the rights to bestselling author Freida McFadden’s upcoming thriller The Divorce, setting the stage for a feature film adaptation. This decision comes amid strong competition from other bidders.
Studiocanal will produce the film in collaboration with Working Title, with Studiocanal fully financing the project. Ron Halpern and Joe Naftalin will oversee development and production. The film is expected to premiere theatrically in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Benelux, Australia, and New Zealand, with Studiocanal also handling global distribution.
Scheduled for release via Sourcebooks imprint Poisoned Pen Press on May 26, The Divorce centers on Naomi, a woman who becomes fixated on her husband’s younger partner. This obsession leads her to uncover dark secrets, launching her into a tumultuous exploration of betrayal and truth.
This project marks a reunion for McFadden and Studiocanal, following their successful collaboration on The Housemaid, an adaptation of her previous thriller directed by Paul Feig that garnered over $400 million worldwide and is in development for a sequel.
Anna Marsh, CEO of Studiocanal and Chief Content Officer of Canal+ Group, expressed enthusiasm for the adaptation, stating, “From the very first page, it was utterly compelling. Freida has a rare ability to draw readers – and viewers – into an unsettling sense of comfort, before brilliantly pulling the rug from under them. The Divorce is ambitious, aspirational and irresistibly addictive storytelling at its best, marking an exciting new chapter for Studiocanal Stories.”
McFadden expressed her excitement about the collaboration, saying, “I’m delighted to be working with the teams at Studiocanal and Working Title to bring The Divorce to the big screen. From the start, they have come forward with an unparalleled enthusiasm and a strong vision for how to get this project off the ground. I can’t wait to see what unfolds!”
A former physician turned author, McFadden has written under a pseudonym and recently revealed her real name as Sara Cohen. In addition to the sequel The Housemaid’s Secret, she has been involved in adaptations of her work for both Apple and Sony, including the upcoming films based on The Teacher and The Surrogate Mother. Other recent publications include Dear Debbie and The Boyfriend.
The deal was facilitated by Studiocanal Stories, a division of the studio focused on literary adaptations. Angela Cheng Caplan of Cheng Caplan Company negotiated on McFadden’s behalf, alongside her literary representatives Christina Hogrebe of Jane Rotrosen Agency and Allison Binder of Goodman, Genow, Schenkman.
