Deadline is reporting that The Incendiaries, the acclaimed novel from R.O. Kwon, is being adapted into a limited series of the same name and is being developed by FilmNation Entertainment TV. Jessica Jones and Star Trek: Discovery writer Lisa Randolph is on board to write the series, with Kogonada (Pachinko, After Yang) set to direct.
The story of The Incendiaries tackles heavy subjects like faith and intimacy with it being based heavily on Kwon’s own loss of faith when he was a young man. Taking place at Edwards University in the fictitious Noxhurst, New York, the story follows the characters of Phoebe Lin and Will Kendall, two students that meet at the college with their own traumatic pasts that start to become close to each other. The novel chronicles their growing relationship while Phoebe is courted to join a mysterious group known as Jejah by another student named John Leal. While we know Randolph and Kogonada are attached to the adaption, there is no announced cast members as of the writing of this article. In addition to the announcement, author Kown also provided a statement to Deadline, saying:
I spent ten years writing The Incendiaries, after which it was all the more heartening that the book was received as a national bestseller from its first week of publication and named a best book of the year by over forty publications. Now, I’m thrilled that The Incendiaries has found its way to a team I’m so excited about: I deeply admire FilmNation’s work and am utterly delighted by Lisa Randolph’s brilliant scripts, which are both so true to the novel and tell its story in new ways I couldn’t have imagined. I’ve loved and rewatched Kogonada’s work for years.
Randolph‘s most recent role was serving as a co-executive producer of Prodigal Son at Fox. Other credits include the aforementioned Jessica Jones at Netflix and Paramount+’s Star Trek: Discovery, as well as other series such as CW’s Reign and FX’s The Shield. “When I read R.O. Kwon’s novel upon its release four years ago, I was enthralled by its thrilling beauty. I’ve been chasing it ever since. I am so excited to work with FilmNation in bringing Will and Phoebe’s story to a new audience, who I know will be similarly transported by this gripping tale of love, grief, and faith. To partner with an artist as visionary as Kogonada on this absolute passion project is the stuff creative dreams are made of,” said Randolph in a statement to Deadline.
Kogonada directed the pilot and several episodes of Apple TV‘s popular drama series Pachinko, where he was also an executive producer. Previous credits also include being the writer-director the A24 and Cinereach 2021 film After Yang. Upcoming projects include an untitled scripted series about the murder of Vincent Chin that is being executive produced by Chloe Zhao. He also provided a statement to Deadline, saying, “I was immediately taken by R.O. Kwon’s story of class, reinvention, and the loss and radicalization of faith, which seems more relevant than ever. I’m delighted to be working with Lisa Randolph and FilmNation to help bring this haunting, revelatory work to life.”
FilmNation Entertainment VP Television Courtney Saladino and FilmNation Entertainment EVP Television Stefanie Berk, will take the lead on the project with Andreas Zoupanos Kritikos overseeing the series on behalf of Wishmore Entertainment. FilmNation Entertainment will produce in association with Wishmore Entertainment. The two companies are currently shopping the project around. “As soon as we read The Incendiaries we were entranced by the brilliance of R.O. Kwon’s singular characters and the story’s profound themes,” Berk said. “This book is an intense exploration of how the crisis of faith and the burning passion of first love combine to drive people to unimaginable extremes. Lisa and Kogonada are the perfect creative partnership to bring this book to TV, and we are thrilled to be collaborating with both of them.”
There are no further details on the adaptation of The Incendiaries have been revealed. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates on the upcoming limited series.
via Collider