Reliance Entertainment, an India-based company, in partnership with Kintop Pictures, has officially acquired the film rights to Kristin Cashore’s bestselling, award-winning young adult fantasy novel, “Graceling.” Piers Ashworth, most known for his work on Nostradamus, has signed on to write the script for the adaptation.
“Graceling” is the first novel in the “The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy,” which also includes The New York Times bestsellers “Fire” and “Bitterblue.” The novels in the series had won several awards, including the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award, the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature, the SIBA Book Award/YA, Indies Choice Book Award Honor Book, and Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year.
The story follows “vulnerable yet strong Katsa, a smart, beautiful young woman who lives in a world where select people born with an extreme skill — called a Grace — are feared and exploited. Katsa carries the burden of a skill even she despises: the Grace of killing. As the king’s niece, she is forced to execute his dirty work, punishing and torturing anyone who displeases him. Katsa must learn to decipher the true nature of her Grace . . . and how to put it to good use.”
Deepak Nayar stated,
“We are very excited about a potential franchise with a strong and original female lead. ‘Graceling’ offers an original storyline that we haven’t seen before that combines elements of ‘Hunger Games’ and ‘Game of Thrones.'”
Producer Nayar will oversee the project for Reliance and Kintop Pictures and will produce alongside Tabrez Noorani, known for his work on Slumdog Millionaire and Life of Pi, and Tamasha Talkies and Leigh Ann Burton for Blu-Sky Media.
Honestly, it seems like this author has mixed together “Game of Thrones” and “The Hunger Games” as a way to bank on two of the biggest selling franchises in the world. Granted “The Hunger Games” and “Graceling” both debuted in 2008, the simulrities are eery. Katsu is a “vulnerable yet strong” young woman who is skilled at killing and must use this skill in a way she never thought she would. Katniss can be described EXACTLY the same way. I also find the fact this particular trilogy is called “The Seven Kingdoms” when that is the exact number and phrasing of the setting in “Game of Thrones.” While, I am sure this film series will be a hit, I just find the amalgam of characters and themes and setting of things I have already read a little off-putting. Then again, I am all for a period drama if it is done well. The verdict is still out for this particular adaptation.