eOne, War & Peace Director Tom Harper to Bring The Rocks to TV

LOS ANGELES: Entertainment One (eOne) has secured the TV rights for Peter Nichols’ best-selling novel The Rocks, with the series adaptation to be directed by Tom Harper (War & Peace, Peaky Blinders, Misfits).

Laura Eason (House of Cards, Sex with Strangers) is attached to write the scripted series. Harper will also produce the show, with Josh Varney, Ben Pugh and Eleanor Moran of 42 and Fred Berger (La La Land) and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones (Midnight Special) of Automatik serving as executive producers.

The Rocks, set on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca, is a love story and a mystery, told in reverse. It begins in the present day with the death of an older married couple who fall from one of the island’s many cliffs after an argument. The story then rewinds through time, following the intertwined lives of the duo and their families over the course of half a century.

“Dark, funny and romantic, with a unique narrative twist, The Rocks grabbed me from the very first page,” said Harper. “I’m incredibly excited to bring this story to the screen, and couldn’t ask for better collaborators than Laura, 42, Automatik and eOne.”

“Peter’s novel combines romance and intrigue with a breathtaking backdrop and story structure perfect for a riveting series. We’re thrilled that Tom and Laura are on board to bring it to life,” said Pancho Mansfield, the president of global scripted programming at eOne Television. “We are enthusiastic to launch our television relationship with Josh Varney, Ben Pugh and Fred Berger and the teams at Automatik and 42 with this bold series.”

Varney, Berger and Kavanaugh-Jones added: ”We’re delighted to be partnering with Tom, Laura and eOne to adapt The Rocks, a thoroughly irresistible novel filled with romance, glamor, mystery and enthralling characters. This dream team will no doubt capture the magic of Peter’s brilliant writing and we can’t wait for audiences to see this compelling story on screen.”