Start making friendship bracelets and hold onto the railing when ascending a flight of stairs because Violet Karim’s webcomic Death of a Pop Star is getting a film adaptation from Diablo Cody (Lisa Frankenstein, Tully, Juno, Jennifer’s Body) and Mason Novick (Tully, ARQ, Juno)!
Death of a Pop Star revolves around Sophie, a gifted but somewhat naive pop star on the verge of superstardom. As she’s about to take her blossoming career to the next level, Sophie tumbles down a flight of stairs and wakes up in Hell. Luckily for Sophie, the Grim Reaper is a fan and, unbeknownst to Sophie, strikes a deal to bring her back to life. However, when management notices the numbers don’t add up, the Reaper must return to the surface to correct his mistake or risk the wrath of the underworld. Things become more complicated when Sophie realizes she didn’t fall down those stairs; someone pushed her! Together with the Reaper and a group of unlikely friends, they attempt to solve the mystery of Sophie’s untimely demise.
Screenwriter and producer Isa Mazzei is penning the screenplay. Mazzei is one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film. She wrote and produced Blumhouse’s psychological horror film Cam and produced the 2022 eco-thriller How to Blow Up a Pipeline.
Diablo Cody and Mason Novick will produce Death of a Pop Star with Aron Levitz, David Madden, and Jason Goldberg of Wattpad Webtoon Studios executive producing.
“‘Death of a Pop Star’ is one of those titles that just lends itself so perfectly to a live-action adaptation,” said Wattpad Webtoon Studios president Levitz. “Violet created such a mesmerizing, must-read story, and when it came to choosing a partner to help us bridge the gap between the living and the dead, who else does that better than Diablo Cody?”
“As a huge fan of both pop music and the undead, I am so excited to help bring this offbeat story to the screen,” said Cody.
I’ve read Death of a Pop Star since its Webtoon debut, and it’s one of my favorite webcomics on the service. Sophie is a delightful character to follow through this bizarre, hilarious murder mystery filled with unconventional characters, intrigue, karma, and destiny.