eOne Scores Rights for Janice Hallett’s The Twyford Code

Entertainment One (eOne) has acquired the rights to Janice Hallett’s best-selling novel The Twyford Code, marking the first project to come out of the company’s first-look deal with Paul Andrew Williams.

The Twyford Code is told found-footage style via automatic transcriptions of recordings made by a former prisoner determined to discover what happened to his teacher. Miss Iles vanished on a school trip in 1983 after becoming convinced there were hidden codes in the work of a disgraced children’s author.

eOne will serve as the studio for the television adaptation, which will be developed in partnership with Cameron Roach’s company Rope Ladder. Williams will direct the series.

eOne will handle the global rights.

“Janice Hallett’s ingenious second novel has rightly gained a fanbase of epic proportions. We are thrilled that she has chosen to bring the book to eOne and our brilliant partner from Rope Ladder fiction, Cameron Roach,” said Sharon Hughff, eOne’s creative director for scripted television in the U.K. “We are also delighted that Janice will adapt the novel herself. To complete the team, we have the magnificent Paul Andrew Williams, who will executive produce and direct.”

Hallett added, “I’m more than overjoyed to be working with the wonderful producers Cameron and Sharon, as well as hugely talented director Paul Andrew Williams. They are my absolute dream team, and I can’t wait to mine their creativity and expertise. The story is a thrilling adventure with a huge heart, about finding treasure in whatever life throws at you—we hope viewers will soon enjoy cracking the code as much as readers have.”

Roach said, “I was first introduced to Janice’s brilliant imagination through a writer-mentor scheme whilst at Sky TV; her capacity for intriguing plotting and enticing characters is wholly original. To be working with Janice, Paul and the brilliant team at Entertainment One on this adaptation is not only an exciting adventure but goes to the heart of why we established Rope Ladder Fiction; supporting writers from grassroots as they evolve to emerge as world-class storytellers.”