‘Butcher & Blackbird’: Chris McKay to Direct Movie Adaptation of Dark Romance!!

BookTok, rejoice, one of the most beloved titles is getting a movie adaptation! Author Brynne Weaver’s bestselling serial killer romance, Butcher & Blackbird, the first book in the Ruinous Love trilogy, has found its director in Chris McKay, Variety reports. The book, which came out last October, has been widely discussed and analyzed by fans and will make for a perfect dark romantic comedy.

The film does not have a screenwriter or cast attached yet, but fans can wait for future announcements soon. The feature is being produced by Alexander Black for Lyrical Media’s and RPC’s Aaron Ryder and Andrew Swett film, with RPC’s Emma Rappold serving as co-producer. Jon Rosenberg and Natalie Sellers of Lyrical Media will be executive producers alongside Weaver.

What’s ‘Butcher and Blackbird’ About?

The book follows two rival murderers, Sloane and Rowan, who hunt other serial killers, but when a chance encounter brings them face to face and sparks begin to fly, their circumstances pit them against the most dangerous monsters in the country. Per the official description,

“‘Butcher and Blackbird’ follows two competing killers who target other serial killers as they attempt to one up each other. As their unlikely bond grows into something deeper, they start to wonder if a future together could ever be possible.”

The books have sold over a million copies in over 18 countries and have an inbuilt fandom behind them, something pivotal in today’s IP-driven industry. It’ll be fascinating to see how the feature fairs, given the success of other BookTok favorite adaptations, such as TheSummer I Turned Pretty, Red White and Royal Blue, Heartstopper, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, and the upcoming It Ends With Us. The adaptations usually do well on streaming platforms, spawning spin-offs, and more movies, especially when they follow the friends-to-lovers trope which is brilliantly executed in Blackbird & Butcher.

McKay is well known to have made the hilarious The Lego Batman Movie, and Chris Pratt-led sci-fi film The Tomorrow War. McKay was also behind last year’s Dracula-inspired horror comedy Renfeild, starring Nicholas Hoult, Awkwafina, and Nicolas Cage. His other credits include adult animations Moral Orel, Robot Chicken, Titan Maximum, and more. With his talents, McKay is certain to bring his high-octane action and gory humor to this fan-favorite dark romantic tale.