HarperCollins Signs Production Deal With Sharp October 2, 2007
HarperCollins has signed an agreement with Sharp to facilitate turning its many book properties into feature films.
The publisher is forming a multiyear alliance with Hart Sharp Entertainment offshoot Sharp Independent called Sharp Independent at HarperCollins. The division will acquire film rights to existing and future HarperCollins adult titles to create new films, housed in HarperCollins offices and overseen by Harper/Morrow president and group publisher Michael Morrison.
The move makes sense for HarperCollins, which has had big success with film adaptations from such titles as "The Chronicles of Narnia" series and "The Pursuit of Happyness." But SI head Jeff Sharp's screen adaptations in recent years have been disappointments at the box office.
Sharp's reported $13 million all-star adaptation of the novel "Evening" earned $12.5 million this year. His reported $20 million adaptation of the Broadway hit "Proof" took in $7.5 million in 2005, his $6.5 million adaptation of "A Home at the End of the World" earned just $1 million in 2004 and his reported $10 million 2002 adaptation of "Nicholas Nickleby" grossed $1.6 million. Sharp's 2006 adaptation of HarperCollins' book "The Night Listener" grossed $7.8 million on a reported $10 million budget.
This is good news for HarperCollins authors with books that translate well to film. Although clearly they are hoping for more blockbusters like The Pursuit of Happyness and not more disasters like Nicholas Nickleby, which received good reviews, but bombed at the box office.
