Beloved young adult fantasy series The Lunar Chronicles has been officially optioned for film. Locksmith Animation, the studio behind the recent release Ron’s Gone Wrong, has acquired the rights to the bestselling novel series by author Marissa Meyer.
The series debuted in 2012 with the novel Cinder. The story is a futuristic retelling of the fairytale Cinderella which sees the protagonist as a teenage cybernetic girl in New Beijing, trying to make ends meet as a mechanic. Obstacles include dealing with her wicked step-family, the persistent attention of a prince trying to keep peace between Earth and the moon colony of Luna, and avoiding the plague-like disease ravaging the world. As tensions rise and a war approaches, Cinder must escape New Beijing and unravel her mysterious past.
The Lunar Chronicles includes four novels and two novellas. Along with Cinder, the main series includes Scarlet (2013), Cress (2014) and Winter (2015). Like the first novel, each book centers around the titular heroine as they face their own obstacles and join Cinder’s alliance. Each protagonist also draws inspiration from fairytale characters including Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Snow White. The two novellas in the collection, Fairest and Stars Above depict the rise of wicked Queen Levana as well as snippets of other characters’ backstories.
Locksmith Animation came to the scene with debut film Ron’s Gone Wrong which quickly garnered praise for its story and animation. Since its release in October 2021, the children’s animated film has received nominations for two Annie Awards and is sitting on the BAFTA Long List for Best Animated Film. Co-Founder and President of Production Julie Lockhart had this to say about acquiring The Lunar Chronicles,
“At Locksmith, we are always looking for material that will give viewers a contemporary and authentic perspective, Marissa’s books successfully turn well known fairy tales into an epic, modern saga that will be engaging and relevant to today’s audiences. We could not be more thrilled about collaborating with her on bringing her vision to life through animation.”
Natalie Fischer, Locksmith Animation CEO added, “This unforgettable series has garnered huge praise and popularity, and we are determined to give this material the treatment it deserves.”
“Everyone has shown so much enthusiasm for these books and characters, and hearing about Locksmith’s vision for the project gives me the best kind of chills.” Said Meyer, “I am as eager as readers are to see Cinder, Prince Kai, and the rest of the Rampion Crew brought to life with stunning animation, and a lot of love!”
The Lunar Chronicles has received massive praise for its vast diversity and fresh retelling of classic fairytale characters, leading to Meyer being named a #1 New York Times best-selling author. Meyer is also the author of Alice in Wonderland retelling Heartless and science fiction trilogy Renegades. No word yet on who will direct the project or when fans will see production begin for The Lunar Chronicles.