Credit: Cassandra Figueroa
A feature adaptation of New York Times #1 bestselling YA fantasy romance series, House Of Night, will be directed by Johanna Watts in her feature debut. A long-time collaborator of Davis Films, Watts previously directed the award-winning short “Career Girl” and is currently in post-production on an upcoming feature documentary, The Gathering.
Watts is joined by a talented team of creatives currently in pre-production on the film, including Casting Director Denise Chamian (Top Gun: Maverick, ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians,’ Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis), Production Designer Clint Wallace (art direction Captain America: Brave New World, Top Gun: Maverick, Spiderman: No Way Home), Costume Designer Mona May (Clueless, Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion, Enchanted), Cinematographer Joshua R. Turner (upcoming The Healer; camera Return to Silent Hill, Amazon’s G20), and First Assistant Director Brett Hodgkinson (Return to Silent Hill; 2nd AD Mad Max: Fury Road, Avengers: Age of Ultron).
House of Night is produced by Victor Hadida (Resident Evil and Silent Hill franchises, The Crow) for Davis Films and Molly Hassell (upcoming actioner The Healer, Return to Silent Hill, The Crow) for Hassell Free Productions. P.C. Cast, who co-authored the book series with Kristin Cast, is exec producing.
Highland Film Group is handling international sales.
House Of Night is set in the titular name of the mysterious boarding school where newcomer Zoey is marked to become a vampyre. The school is where teenagers with a genetic mutation learn how to survive the transformation from human to vampyre.
The logline continues: “Thrust into a seductive new world of magic, danger and desire, Zoey is surprised to discover she possesses rare powers, making her the object of both admiration and envy. As human-vampyre conflict brews, Zoey must learn to harness her growing powers, uncover the secrets surrounding her, and decide which friends she can trust – all while a dark, ancient threat lurks beyond the walls, coming for her and everyone she loves.”
“Davis Films has brought together an outstanding team for this production,” Hadida underscored. “We could not be more excited to see them showcase P.C.’s amazing House of Night world for global film audiences.”
“Johanna dove head-first into the House of Night and has an impressive handle on its mythology and what makes the world so engaging,” said Hassell. “She understands how to balance all of the right elements to make a special, modern, and magical experience.”
“I’m thrilled for Johanna to bring House of Night to the big screen,” continued author and producer Cast. ”Her vision brings a fresh take on the books’ beloved characters and story while staying true to my world.”
“It’s an honor to work within the enthralling and provocative world of House of Night. There’s such a richness to what P.C. and Kristin have created, from substantive characters to relatable themes of human connection and belonging,” says Watts. “I feel a big responsibility to faithfully bring this story to screen for fans around the world.”
The House of Night book series has sold over 31 million copies across more than 40 countries in over 30 languages, making it one of the most successful and far-reaching young adult franchises globally. With a dedicated fan base worldwide, the combined books have spent 153 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List, reaching the coveted #1 position multiple times. The series has also spent 424 weeks on USA Today’s Best-selling Books list, with four books (Awakened, Hunted, Burned, and Tempted) peaking at #1.
Johanna Watts is currently in post-production on her feature documentary The Gathering, an exploration of a nomadic, decentralized community who come together in celebration of peace, community service, and inclusion. Watts’ first award-winning short “Career Girl” was acquired by Condé Nast and garnered more than 4 million views online. Watts also directed a video series of Science Shorts for the National Academy of Sciences.
Watts is repped by WME Entertainment and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher.