STUDIOCANAL AND BLUEPRINT PICTURES OPTION MATT HAIG’S

THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY

London, Paris –Tuesday 22 September. STUDIOCANAL and Blueprint Pictures today confirm they have optioned film rights to Matt Haig’s THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY – a No.1 Sunday Times bestseller.

THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY, published by Canongate, is now in early development with STUDIOCANAL and Blueprint. Matt Haig will Executive Produce the film. THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY is Haig’s seventh adult novel and his first since HOW TO STOP TIME in 2017. In THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY Nora Seed finds herself in a library between life and death with the chance to experience all the potential lives she could have lived. THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY has sold into 25 territories worldwide, and the audiobook is read by Oscar-nominated actress Carey Mulligan.

HOW TO STOP TIME is also under option with STUDIOCANAL. Matt Haig comments ‘I am so excited that The Midnight Library film is in the best hands. Having worked with Blueprint and STUDIOCANAL before, it was a no- brainer the moment they offered. I can’t wait to see Nora’s adventures through the multiverse translated to screen.”

The deal was negotiated by Nick Marston and Katie Battcock at Curtis Brown. Matt is represented for his books by Clare Conville of C&W.

STUDIOCANAL and Blueprint Pictures are in post-production on Haig’s acclaimed origin story of Father Christmas, A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS. Directed by Academy Award® nominee Gil Kenan (Monster House) boasting an all-star cast including Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey, Harry Potter), Jim Broadbent (Paddington 1 & 2, Game of Thrones), Toby Jones (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, The Hunger Games), Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water, Paddington 1 & 2), Michiel Huisman (The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, The Haunting of Hill House), Henry Lawfull (Les Misérables), Zoe Margaret Colletti (Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark), Rune Temte (Captain Marvel, The Last Kingdom), Indica Watson (The Missing), and Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids, Ghostbusters). Due for release in Autumn 2021.

Matt Haig has sold over two million books in the UK and his work has been translated into over 40 languages.

ENDS

About STUDIOCANAL STUDIOCANAL, a 100% affiliate of CANAL+ Group held by Vivendi, is Europe’s leader in production, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series, operating directly in all three major European markets - France, the United Kingdom and Germany - as well as in Australia and New Zealand. STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, boasting more than 6,000 titles from 60 countries. Spanning 100 years of film history, this vast and unique catalogue includes among others the iconic Terminator 2, Rambo, Breathless, Mulholland Drive, The Pianist and Belle de jour. STUDIOCANAL has fully financed box office hits Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Paddington 1 and 2, The Commuter and Shaun The Sheep Movie. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include Marc Munden's The Secret Garden produced with Heyday Films (Paddington 1 & 2) starring Colin Firth and Julie Walters. STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of award-winning European production companies, including TANDEM in Germany (Shadowplay), the UK’s RED Production Company (Years and Years), Spain’s BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (On Death Row) and France’s STUDIOCANAL ORIGINAL (Mouche). STUDIOCANAL is also an associate of Danish-based SAM Productions founded by Søren Sveistrup and Adam Price (Ride Upon The Storm) as well as of UK-based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES; Benedict Cumberbatch’s production company SUNNYMARCH TV (Patrick Melrose) and URBAN MYTH FILMS (War of the Worlds). © 1955 STUDIOCANAL FILMS Ltd – All Rights Reserved