Paramount Acquires Rights to 'Red Rising' Film Adaptation

Paramount Pictures has acquired the film rights to "Red Rising," the best-selling dystopian science fiction series by Pierce Brown. Francis Lawrence, known for directing multiple installments of "The Hunger Games" franchise, is attached to direct the adaptation of the first novel, which shares the series title.

Creative Team and Production

Justin Rhodes will write the screenplay. Rhodes previously worked with Lawrence on the development of Netflix’s video game adaptation "Bioshock." According to The Hollywood Reporter, Rhodes also "worked on" the film "Terminator: Dark Fate."

Lawrence and Cameron MacConomy will produce the film for their about:blank banner, alongside Francesco Goedhuis. Pierce Brown will serve as an executive producer. Brown also wrote a "Red Rising" comic book prequel story published by Dynamite Entertainment.

Plot and Series Background

The "Red Rising" series blends Roman mythology with science fiction. The story is set on Mars in a future where society is organized into a color-coded class system. The Golds are the superior class at the top, while the Reds are the lowest class, existing to perform hard labor.

The narrative centers on Darrow, a young miner who is a Red. After witnessing the death of his love and discovering the truth about his existence, Darrow infiltrates Gold society with the aim of bringing it down. Variety notes that Darrow undergoes a "brutal transformation to become a Gold himself" and enrolls in a military school.

Six books have been published in the series so far, including "Golden Son," "Morning Star," "Iron Gold," "Dark Age," and "Lightbringer." A seventh and final novel, "Red God," is on the way. In 2024, Brown announced on Instagram that the saga had sold over 6 million copies, though it is unclear whether this figure represents U.S. or global sales. The property was previously set up for feature development at Universal and was considered for a series adaptation in the late 2010s.

Paramount's Literary Slate

"Red Rising" joins several other literary adaptations in development or production at Paramount. "Children of Blood and Bone" is completed and scheduled for release on Jan. 15, 2027. "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow," based on the novel by Gabrielle Zevin, is currently in production with Daisy Edgar-Jones starring. "The Midnight Library," based on Matt Haig’s novel and starring Florence Pugh, is scheduled to shoot next year.

Lawrence is currently working on "The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping," which Lionsgate will release on Nov. 20, 2027. His most recent directorial credit is the Stephen King adaptation "The Long Walk."

Why it matters

This acquisition highlights Paramount's strategy of securing established intellectual property in the young adult and science fiction genres. By pairing Pierce Brown's popular book series with Francis Lawrence, who has extensive experience adapting similar dystopian narratives, the studio aims to capitalize on the proven audience for color-coded class conflict stories. The move also underscores the continued industry trend of adapting best-selling novels for the big screen, with multiple high-profile literary projects currently in Paramount's pipeline.

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Sources

• hollywoodreporter.com: Red Rising Movie in the Works with Francis Lawrence at Paramount
• variety.com: Red Rising Movie in the Works at Paramount With 'Hunger Games' Director

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.