Posted in: Movies | Tagged: adaptation, bbc, harry potter, j k rowling

J.K. Rowling's First Post-Potter Novel Already Set For TV Adaptation

Published Mon, 03 Dec 2012 12:11:31 -0600

Last updated Mon, 03 Dec 2012 12:11:35 -0600

That didn't take long. Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling's first novel for adults, The Casual Vacancy, was published at the end of September and barely two months later has been commissioned for an exclusive TV adaptation by BBC One and BBC Drama.

The novel is a tragicomedy set in an English suburban West Country town called Pagford. After the death of the local Parish Councillor, an election is called to elect a new councillor, factions develop around the issue of the local council estate (public housing, if you're reading in the US) and whether or not the town should be dissociated from it. As the war for the much-coveted position of Parish Councillor wages on, dark secrets about the various candidates are uncovered.

According to the article on the BBC News website (not surprising that they got the scoop), the show is expected to air in 2014.

J.K. Rowling seems happy, if not too surprised, that the book has been selected for adaptation.

I'm thrilled that the BBC has commissioned The Casual Vacancy. I always felt that, if it were to be adapted, this novel was best suited to television and I think the BBC is the perfect home.

The Casual Vacancy became the 15th best-selling of 2012 within its first week of publication and sold over a million copies in the first three weeks following release.

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