Beetle Book Trilogy Heads to the Small Screen

Nevision has optioned the rights for M.G. Leonard’s Beetle trilogy, which includes the best-selling children’s books Beetle Boy (2016), Beetle Queen (2017) and Battle of the Beetles (2018).

Nevision is developing a live-action adaptation of the book series for television, with Leonard on board as screenplay writer, Nigel Pickard as executive producer and Ceri Barnes as development executive. The story begins with a 13-year-old boy’s search for his kidnapped father, which leads him to find a mountain of extraordinary beetles.

The Beetle trilogy is published by Chicken House in the U.K. and Scholastic in the U.S., Canada and Australia, as well as in more than 30 additional territories.

Pickard, former director of programs at ITV, controller of children’s at the BBC and board member at Nevision, commented: “The Beetle trilogy is one of the most compelling and brilliant children’s book series currently on the market. Maya’s writing is fast-paced and filled to the brim with villains, heroes and adventures. It will make an epic on-screen experience, which will appeal to both young viewers and their families.”

Leonard added: “Ever since I was little I’ve been frightened by Creepy Crawlies. Then I found out that beetles can be pretty, brightly colored—even gold. Others are as strong as the Incredible Hulk. Some shoot acid out of their butts, and all beetles have wings! My fear had stopped me from seeing how fantastic beetles were, and so I decided to write an adventure with beetles as the good guys. I am thrilled to be now taking this to the next level, writing scripts that bring my characters to life for the small screen.”