Wattpad Studios Reveals Two Film Projects in Development

Wattpad is developing film versions of the hit Wattpad stories The Hound and What Happened That Night.

Deanna Cameron’s What Happened That Night has more than 1.5 million reads on Wattpad and was published by Wattpad Books in 2019. What Happened That Night will be adapted by Academy Award-nominated Children of Men screenwriter David Arata.

T.L. Bodine’s The Hound has more than 100,000 reads on Wattpad and won a Watty Award in 2018 in the Hidden Gems category. The story will be adapted by screenwriter Angela LaManna, who comes to the project from The Haunting of Bly Manor, the second season of the Netflix horror sensation The Haunting of Hill House.

The projects are part of a new initiative that will see Wattpad finance early development for select TV and film projects.

“Millions of people around the world have been inspired by the amazing, diverse stories and storytellers on Wattpad,” said Aron Levitz, head of Wattpad Studios. “The Hound and What Happened That Night are two marvelous examples of high-quality storytelling that has captivated readers everywhere, while also tapping into cultural trends demanding more representation for women and marginalized communities. With these new film projects, we’re expanding our investment in early-stage development, adapting incredible stories for new formats and helping them find new fans everywhere.”

“What Happened That Night is a compelling combination of mystery, thriller and coming-of-age story,” said screenwriter David Arata. “Its nuanced portrait of a traumatized teenage girl struggling to uncover the truth represents an eloquent testament to the resilience of the human spirit. My job as a screenwriter will be to try to do justice to the book.”

“The Hound is an incredible narrative that combines the best elements of suspense and horror with a powerful story about a woman struggling to keep her family safe in the face of dark forces,” said screenwriter Angela LaManna. “I can’t wait to work with Wattpad to bring this story to screens everywhere.”