Do you love a good witchy fantasy novel? Then we implore you to try Naomi Novik’s Scholomance trilogy before the confirmed movie adaptation from Universal Pictures!
Naomi Novik is known for her epic, coming-of-age fantasy books that have a YA vibe. Whether it is a historical fantasy or a bold retelling of a fairy romance, she is an exceptional writer.
A Deadly Education is the first of the Scholomance trilogy, which follows Galadriel “El” Higgins, a powerful, young sorceress who must survive in a dark wizard school. For survival, El must control her dark powers and forge alliances.
The book was released back in 2020 and received polarising reviews. For fans of dark academia and unconventional heroines, the book was refreshing. However, other critics found the book a tad graphic, given that it involves young students. They also had an issue with the slow pacing and insufferable monologues. It will be interesting to see if the movie can overcome these flaws.
What is A Deadly Education Movie About?
This will be a feature film adapted from the first of the three novels in the Scholomance trilogy. Other books from the trilogy include: The Last Graduate (2021) and The Golden Enclaves (2022).
The movie will focus only on the first book, and depending on its success, we might get the two remaining sequels.
According to the official logline from Universal Pictures, the movie will center on El’s journey through the savage, magical school situated in a void.
There are no teachers or authority structures in place in this school. The school is infested with monsters known as Maleficaria. These monsters hunt students who fail their graduation final. As a result, the school has a high death rate.
In comes our protagonist, El, who has dark powers and needs to manage them before graduation. However, it won’t be easy, and she relies on alliances to survive the school’s brutal social hierarchy among students. Luckily, she has Orion Lake, who keeps saving her, much to the chagrin of her enemies.
She also needs to survive the graduation ceremony, which demands that she strategically run through an unguarded hall filled with starving monsters.
Sure sounds like the stuff of nightmares, right?
Here’s the official synopsis of the book the movie will be based on:
Lesson One of the Scholomance: Learning has never been this deadly.
A Deadly Education is set at Scholomance, a school for the magically gifted where failure means certain death (for real)—until one girl, El, begins to unlock its many secrets.
There are no teachers, no holidays, and no friendships, save strategic ones. Survival is more important than any letter grade, because the school won’t let its students leave until they graduate… or die! The rules are deceptively simple: Don’t walk the halls alone. And beware of the monsters who lurk everywhere.
El is uniquely prepared for the school’s dangers. She may be without allies, but she possesses a dark power strong enough to level mountains and wipe out millions. It would be easy enough for El to defeat the monsters that prowl the school. The problem? Her powerful dark magic might also kill all the other students.
Who are the Cast & Crew of A Deadly Education Film?
Unfortunately, the film is still in its early stages of development. There has been no casting news yet.
However, we do know that Universal Pictures has already hired screenwriter Emily Carmichael, who has worked on hit movies such as Jurassic World: Dominion and Pacific Rim: Uprising. She will be joined by Shantha Susman.
Todd Lieberman & David Hoberman, the prolific producer duo, will also be part of the project. With hits like Beauty and the Beast, Army Wives, The Muppets, and many more, we trust that the adaptation is in good hands.
At the helm, the talented Meera Menon, known for shows like The Walking Dead, The Magicians, Halt and Catch Fire, and Ms. Marvel, will be directing the movie.
What is the Release Date for A Deadly Education Movie?
At the moment, Universal Pictures is wrapping up pre-production. The project is still in its early stages. This is a fantasy movie, so the budget is expected to be high. Thankfully, Universal Pictures has extensive experience in producing such projects.
We will keep you updated once we have more information about the cast and release date.
Should You Read the Book First?
Definitely read the books first to get the intricate details of the story. If you love dark academia and high-stakes fantasy survival stories, then this is right up your alley.
The book has the popular enemies-to-lovers trope, a snarky main character, and monsters. Naomi Novik is known for narrative versatility and characters riddled with moral ambiguity.
Whether you intend to watch the movie or not, it is advisable to read the book and immerse yourself in the magical realm that is the Scholomance trilogy.
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