Antoine Fuqua is a worker. Not only has he released two feature films in the past two years — Emancipation and The Equalizer 3 — but the director has also been directing and producing some big television projects as well. He helmed episodes of Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers and The Terminal List as well as executive producing Jeremy Renner’s hit show, Mayor of Kingstown. He is also well into the production of a colossal undertaking of capturing the dizzyingly epic and tragic life of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, in the biopic Michael. Now Deadline reports that Fuqua is developing a feature adaptation to the YA novel, Sky’s End, from New York Times bestseller debut author Marc J. Gregson.
The novel is a new release that was published this year by Peachtree Teen. According to Deadline, “The book watches as exiled teenager Conrad enters the Selection of Twelve Trades to rescue his sister from his murderous uncle and take revenge. Set in a civilization of islands that float above toxic black clouds, Conrad joins an airship crew to battle monsters in the skies while unmasking sinister agents of terror.” The book is the first in a planned trilogy and the debut will be followed by the next title, Among Serpents, in early 2025.
Bob Higgins of Trustbridge Entertainment will be producing the film as the company secured the movie rights. Also, Kat Samick will on board to produce the feature adaptation for the company, Hill District Media, alongside Justin Bursch and Sam Levine. Trustbridge’s president, Higgins, would respond to Deadline about the Sky’s End project, “Hill District was at the top of our partner wish list. Antoine Fuqua has an unparalleled track record for telling stories with fascinating but flawed heroes, complex relationships, high stakes and, often, big action. It’s a perfect match.”
Peachtree’s Subsidiary Rights Director Farah Géhy also commented, “The teams at Hill District Media and Trustbridge Entertainment are author-focused, and I’m heartened that Marc will be involved in developing the book for the screen. This collaboration will make for an amazing film.” And the novel’s author, Gregson, would add, “I genuinely cannot wait for readers to see the world of the Skylands—with its horrifying monsters, epic battles, and memorable characters—come to life on the big screen.”