Taron Egerton And Range Media Partners Team On Feature Adaptation Of Josh Silver’s Debut Novel ‘HappyHead’

EXCLUSIVE: In a highly competitive landscape with multiple offers, Range Media Partners and actor-producer Taron Egerton have acquired screen rights to the upcoming LGBTQ+ psychological thriller HappyHead from debut author Josh Silver, with plans to adapt it for the big screen. The deal was brokered by Leah Middleton at Marjacq Scripts on behalf of Becky Bagnell of the Lindsay Literary Agency.

Set to be published in the UK next week by Oneworld, HappyHead is the first in a planned series. 

“I am beyond thrilled that Range Media Partners and Taron will be developing HappyHead for the screen. Their passion and creative vision is inspiring, and I can’t wait to be a part of this journey with them. They are the perfect home for it,” Silver said.

The story follows Seb, who when offered a place on a radical retreat designed to solve the national crisis of teenage unhappiness is determined to change how people see him and make his parents proud. But as he finds himself drawn to the enigmatic Finn, Seb starts to question the true nature of the challenges they must undergo. The deeper into the program the boys get, the more disturbing the assessments become, until it’s clear there may be no escape.

Egerton and Range will be equal partners on the project across all creative and business aspects, but Egerton has no plans to star in the project.

“I read Josh’s book in one sitting. It was immediately clear to me that it is something special. I could not be more excited to be a part of the team bringing this story to the screen,” he said.

Egerton previously produced and starred in the 2022 Apple TV+ series Black Bird, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe and SAG Award. He is also producing and starring in the upcoming drama series Firebug for Apple TV+, about a troubled detective and an enigmatic arson investigator (Egerton) who pursue the trails of two serial arsonists. 

“HappyHead has a unique combination of an ambitious, near-dystopian world with well observed, relatable characters and it’s exactly that blend that gets us excited,” said Oliver Riddle and Thomas Daley, Co-Heads of International at Range.

Egerton is repped by Range Media Partners, United Agents, and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.