Legendary Entertainment is set to bring the Tier One military thriller series to life after securing the film and TV rights to the popular book series written by Brian Andrews and Jeff Wilson, as exclusively revealed by Deadline. The acquisition to the rights for the books comes hot on the heels of Legendary‘s recent buyout of Wanda Group’s stake in the company, which is signalling a new direction for the studio under the leadership of its CEO, Josh Grode. The Tier One series follows the main character John Dempsey, an elite Navy SEAL whose life takes a dramatic turn when his team is ambushed by a terrorist group. As the only survivor of the ambush, Dempsey is recruited into a secret black ops unit, setting him on a path to becoming a top-tier spy for the U.S. government.
The series currently consists of eight novels, with a ninth installment expected next year, so if they want a long running series, there’s plenty of material to work with. Legendary Television is leading the development of the project, with Marcus Blakely (Neuromancer) and Peter Johnson (Supernatural) set to executive produce alongside the authors, while Blackstone Publishing, which has expanded into TV and film production under the guidance of former Miramax executive Brendan Deneen, is also involved.
What Are the ‘Tier One’ Books About?
The Tier One series is a collection of military thriller novels which follow the story of John Dempsey. When Dempsey survives the attack on his team, as noted above, he is recruited into a top secret black ops unit known as “Tier One” to carry out high-stakes, clandestine missions for the U.S. government. Dempsey initially goes by the name Jack Kemper, before his recruitment into the team. The story begins with a devastating terrorist attack orchestrated by a radical jihadist group, which results in the deaths of Jack’s entire SEAL Team during a mission gone wrong.
After the attack, Dempsey is recruited into a top-secret black ops unit known as Ember, a clandestine group that operates outside the boundaries of the law or traditional oversight. Think of it like Mission: Impossible, when they have to go rogue all the time. Tasked with eliminating high-level threats to national security, Dempsey embarks on dangerous, covert missions that take him across the globe. The books are full of intense military action, espionage, and psychological warfare.
Stay tuned to Collider for more news on the upcoming development of Tier One.
via Collider