Ann Brashares Enters Sink-or-Swim YA Movie Market

Hot on the heels of the release of her latest YA novel, Ann Brashares shared via Twitter that the movie rights to The Here and Now have been scooped up by Alcon Entertainment, Alloy Entertainment, and Kira Davis’ 8:38 Productions — the same producers behind the movie adaptations of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

The highly anticipated new project by Brashares, The Here and Now, was just released April 8. Although it's receiving modest reviews, the fast-paced action and sci-fi plot seems ripe for the big screen. And it's no surprise that with the success of female-driven, YA action movies, such as Catching Fire and Divergent, producers are jumping on Brashares's novel.

The Here and Now centers on teenager Prenna who has escaped her life 80 years in the future to find solace from her plague-ridden world in today's present day. But when she is given a chance to change the future and avoid the destruction, she has to decide whether to take it.

It's Brashares's first foray into science fiction and time travel, but she told Bustle that she was inspired by pairing two teenagers from opposite life experiences and perspectives.

Brashares shared her excitement for the new project on Twitter.

The production team of Alcon Entertainment, Alloy Entertainment, and Kira Davis’ 8:38 Productions was behind the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and its sequel, but that's certainly not the extent of their YA experience.

While Alcon was behind the flop Beautiful Creatures, based on the hugely successful series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, Alloy has TV hits such as Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, and The Vampire Diaries to its name.

And that YA experience is going to be needed, as all eyes are on young adult book-to-movie adaptations this year. While Suzanne Collins and Veronica Roth have blockbusters on their hands, there are more than a few books that went to the big screen with a whimper, such as Vampire Academy, The Mortal Instruments, and even Twilight author Stephenie Meyer's The Host.

This year will see many more YA movies, and Rainbow Rowell just added her name to the 2015 roster. As silly as it may be, the success and relative failures of these adaptations are driving many in the market. (You could argue that no one is looking at adult novel adaptations that fail and saying, "Hey, maybe we shouldn't adapt fiction anymore." I'm looking at you, Winter's Tale, Labor Day, and Monuments Men)

With her big name in YA and the respected team behind the movie, Brashares has a good chance of standing out with the movie of The Here and Now, but as the box office goes, only time will tell. For now, at least one big YA success is standing behind the project:

#AriaforPrenna2015