Two Rivers Options Tanya Byrne’s Afterlove

Two Rivers Media has acquired the film and TV rights to Tanya Byrne’s supernatural love story Afterlove ahead of its July 2021 publication.

Afterlove, Byrne’s fourth novel for a young adult audience, tells a tale of first love with a supernatural twist. It follows 16-year-old Ash Persaud, who falls head over heels in love with Poppy Morgan on a school trip before her life is cut short in a car accident on New Year’s Eve. Trapped in the afterlife where she is one of three fierce girl-reapers forced to collect the souls of the city’s dead to be taken to await their fate, she can’t forget her first love and is determined to see her again—dead or alive.

Emma Reeves (The Worst Witch, Eve, The Dumping Ground) will co-write this screen adaptation with Byrne.

Marcus Wilson, head of drama at Two Rivers Media, said: “Tanya Byrne is a true master of authentic teenage voice and experiences, and Afterlove is no exception. We all fell for Ash and Poppy—this really is a love story to die for. Same-sex romances and diverse central characters are still not seen nearly enough on screen, so we are thrilled to have the opportunity to work on this project. Its themes are bound to resonate with YA audiences worldwide. Emma Reeves and Tanya are a powerhouse team and they will work together brilliantly to bring Afterlove to life for the screen. Emma and I last worked together on The Worst Witch and I knew she would be a perfect fit for this project.”

Byrne added: “I knew from my first meeting with Two Rivers that they absolutely understood the story that I am trying to tell with Afterlove and are as committed as I am to translating it to screen as honestly and as authentically as possible. To be working with a production team with such a stellar list of credits, including Luther, which is one of my favorite shows of recent years, is such a privilege. As is writing alongside someone as brilliant and talented as Emma. I cannot wait to get started.”