BBC Films and Shine Pictures have acquired the rights to psychological thriller “The Farm,” the latest novel from Tom Rob Smith, author of “Child 44”, Variety reported.
The innovative mystery, set in London and Sweden, reached number two in the U.K. charts during its opening month, and is also a bestseller in Australia, Germany and Israel, with a further 13 major territories sold.
Brought into Shine Pictures by head of literary acquisitions, Sue Swift, “The Farm” will be produced by Shine’s head of film, Ollie Madden, with Christine Langan exec producing for BBC Films.
The novel centers on Daniel, who believes his parents are living a peaceful life on a farm in rural Sweden. He then receives a frantic call from his father: his mother has escaped from a mental hospital shortly after being committed.
He then receives a call from his mother, who is en route to London. She pleads with him to allow her the chance to tell her story. He must decide whether she is a victim of a terrible conspiracy, or, as his father fears, is suffering a psychotic episode. Daniel soon becomes entwined in an urgent tale of secrets, lies and a horrible crime that implicates his own father.
Langan, head of BBC Films, added: “’The Farm’ skewers you on the horns of a fabulous dilemma while effortlessly drawing you into a curious and strangely sinister world. Tom Rob Smith’s latest novel is a sophisticated, layered narrative with real page turning urgency.”
Madden said: “I’ve been a huge fan of Tom’s novels since ‘Child 44,’ and when I picked up ‘The Farm’ I read it in one, enrapt sitting. It’s very rare that you read something which is simultaneously thrilling, thought-provoking, totally unpredictable and packs a real emotional punch.”
Smith’s “Child 44” trilogy has sold more than 4 million copies worldwide, the first of which has been made as a film directed by Daniel Espinosa, and starring Tom Hardy and Noomi Rapace. It is due for release this year. He also created the five-part BBC backed miniseries “London Spy,” which will air in 2015.
