Brief
Paramount taps Francis Lawrence to direct Red Rising adaptation
The dystopian sci‑fi series by Pierce Brown will be adapted by director of The Hunger Games installments.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Paramount Pictures has acquired the film rights to Pierce Brown’s Red Rising series and appointed director Francis Lawrence to helm the adaptation of the first novel, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
What happened
The studio confirmed that Lawrence, known for directing multiple Hunger Games movies, will direct the Red Rising film. Screenwriter Justin Rhodes, who previously collaborated with Lawrence on Netflix’s Bioshock video‑game adaptation, will write the screenplay. The story is set on Mars, featuring a color‑coded caste system where the lowest‑ranked Red miners, led by protagonist Darrow, seek to overthrow the ruling Golds.
What the reports add
The article notes that six Red Rising books have been published, with a seventh forthcoming, and that the series had sold over six million copies by 2024, though it does not specify the market. It also mentions that the property was previously considered for a feature at Universal and later eyed as a series in the late 2010s.
What was said
The report does not contain direct quotations from Lawrence, Rhodes, or Brown.
How it came about
Paramount’s acquisition follows a recent slate of literary adaptations, including the upcoming Children of Blood and Bone (Jan. 15, 2027) and the ongoing production of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. Lawrence’s recent work includes the Stephen King adaptation The Long Walk and the upcoming Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, slated for Nov. 20, 2027.
Key facts
- Paramount Pictures acquired the film rights to Pierce Brown's Red Rising series. (hollywoodreporter.com)
- Francis Lawrence will direct the adaptation of the first Red Rising novel. (hollywoodreporter.com)
- Justin Rhodes will write the screenplay for the Red Rising film. (hollywoodreporter.com)
- Six Red Rising books have been published, with a seventh on the way. (hollywoodreporter.com)
- The series had sold over six million copies by 2024. (hollywoodreporter.com)
Sources
- [1] hollywoodreporter.com — originally reported as “Francis Lawrence, Paramount Team for ‘Red Rising’ Movie Adaptation (Exclusive)”
