Fox Entertainment Studios, HarperCollins strike two-way development deal 

Fox Entertainment Studios (FES) and HarperCollins Productions have struck what they are dubbing a “strategic reciprocal” first-look development deal between the studio and HarperCollins’ publishing imprint Avon A.

Hannah Pillemer

Under the deal, FES will develop series, films and TV movies inspired by Avon A titles. At the same time, Avon A, which is dedicated to boundary-pushing projects spanning romance, young-adult, thriller, horror and fantasy, will have the opportunity to publish adaptations based on FES originals.

The companies plan to coproduce a slate of projects with HarperCollins Productions execs, led by Caroline Fraser and Jennifer Contrucci, serving as non-writing producers to “ensure creative continuity from page to screen.”

HarperCollins Productions is the production entity that develops and produces series, movies and gaming adapted from books published through HarperCollins. FES houses Fox Entertainment’s in-house scripted and unscripted studio divisions, in addition to Bento Box Entertainment, TMZ, Tideline Entertainment and Gordon Ramsay joint venture Studio Ramsay Global.

Fox said the deal was the “first of its kind” and would establish a “long-term, mutually beneficial creative alliance focused on building an adaptable, enduring library of cross-platform IP” across TV, film, audio, digital and books. The companies also noted that they will also develop series in tandem with the release of companion books.

“From YA to horror, Avon A has built an impressive library of genre-spanning, trend-driven stories that are begging for adaptation. Our ability to mine this rich, ever-growing collection opens a world of storytelling possibilities,” said Hannah Pillemer, head of scripted for FES.

“The reciprocal nature of our partnership makes it even more exciting by connecting audiences with great stories in new ways and giving them fresh opportunities to enjoy characters they love across multiple mediums.”

Fraser, who serves as head of HarperCollins Productions, said that the teams at Avon A and FES are “already deep into their respective wish lists of adaptations and plan to announce an inaugural slate of fresh, captivating storytelling opportunities soon.”

Tessa Woodward, VP and editorial director at Avon A, added: “By combining our focus on delivering trend-driven, genre-spanning fiction for readers of all ages with Fox’s track record in producing unforgettable scripted entertainment, we’re creating a pipeline that delivers compelling, commercial stories across platforms by deepening fan engagement and creating new entry points into our authors’ work.”