Of all the novels I've been eagerly awaiting a proper book-to-screen adaptation, I'm not exaggerating when I said that Pierce Brown's Red Rising is at the top of the list. There's been talk about bringing the dystopian sci-fi story to the screen for years, but updates have been few and far between lately... until today.
My reaction to the news that a Red Rising movie adaptation is once again in the works was a mixture of pure excitement and fast anxiety, because really, how? Honestly, how can anyone bring this story to life in a way that measures up to the story Brown has delivered over the span of six books (with at least one more on the way)? That's what I want to talk about.
The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that the rights to the Red Rising movie have been picked up by Paramount Pictures, with The Hunger Games helmer Francis Lawrence attached to direct, and Justin Rhodes on board to write the script. Author Pierce Brown is attached as an executive producer.
Now, to be clear, I am absolutely bloodydamn thrilled about this news. At the same time, Lawrence has a massive challenge ahead of him with this one, for a few reasons.
The Setting
On one hand, Francis Lawrence is a great choice for director, given his experience with several Hunger Games movies (including the upcoming prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping), and the fact that the first book in the Red Rising series has the main character participating in a dangerous competition. But there's much more to the Red Rising setting than just the Institute, where the rebellious main character, Darrow, faces various life-or-death challenges.
Red Rising is set in the distant future where humanity has spread itself out across the solar system. The first book is set on Mars, with the bulk of the story happening in the mines and at the Institute. The setting is a character in itself, especially when we factor in the Roman mythology that's mixed into the otherwise futuristic aesthetic. Getting this aspect right is one of the things that can make or break the movie, in my opinion.
The Characters (And Colors)
Let's talk about the characters in this story. Of course, casting is going to be key here. Who will play Darrow, Eo, Fitchner, Cassius, Roque and Sevro? I'm getting excited just thinking about it. It goes without saying that the casting will need to be absolutely prime, however I'm not just talking about that when I speak about the characters.
The design of the people in this universe is going to be crucial. In the Red Rising universe, humans exist in a social hierarchy that's defined by colors. The Golds are at the top, while the Reds are at the very bottom. A person's color determines their place in society as much as it does the work they do, their physical makeup and their capabilities. Golds, for example, rule over all, and are thus superior in just about every way, including physical build. Meanwhile, Reds are the workers of society, and typically smaller than other colors.
I've always wondered how an adaptation will be able to depict the characters as they're described in the books. It's as important in my mind as the casting is here.
The Scope Of The Story
I don't want to get too far ahead of myself here by worrying about the later books, because we really just learned that a Red Rising movie is happening and it'll presumably be quite a while before it arrives in theaters. That further books might someday get adaptations too is a wish for a later date. Focusing solely on the adaptation of the first book, like any book-to-screen adaptation, I'm going to worry about how much will need to be cut to fit it into the space of a film.
Would I rather this series be adapted for television? Absolutely. A TV series would have the space to build out the story and the world Pierce Brown created one episode at a time. However, the optimist in me believes that the first book can be told well within the space of a feature film, but it won't be easy.
I'm anxious about how Lawrence and Rhodes will be able to tell the story to cover Darrow's time in the mines and relationship with Eo, his transition from Red to Gold, and his time at the Institute in the space of two hours and change. It's not even just about fitting in all of my favorite scenes. So much about what makes the book great comes from getting to understand Darrow's mindset and mission as he attempts to infiltrate the Golds. That includes forming bonds with some of the very people he's tasked with taking down. Also, Pierce Brown introduces some amazing characters in the first book, and I really need all of them to have time to shine.
All of the above said, I'm weirdly excited to have a reason to be worried about all of this again. It's been a while since we heard any concrete updates about an adaptation. In recent years, there was talk of a TV series adaptation, but earlier this year, Pierce Brown confirmed (in an interview with Maude Garrett) that project was not happening.
This movie news is a great update while we await news about the upcoming seventh book in the series, Red God (no release date yet). I'll absolutely be on the lookout for news about the movie, including when we might expect it to arrive in theaters. I'm not even going to try to get my hopes up for a 2027 release date, but maybe 2028 is on the table? A girl can dream.
