Having pulled in a combined $1.325 billion at the box office with its Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy of films, Universal Pictures has now snapped up the rights to author E.L. James’ latest novel The Mister.
As revealed by Variety, Universal won a heated bidding war to pick up the option on the 2019 book, which spent nine weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list. It’s official description on Amazon reads:
Life has been easy for Maxim Trevelyan. With his good looks, aristocratic connections, and money, he’s never had to work and he’s rarely slept alone. But all that changes when tragedy strikes and Maxim inherits his family’s noble title, wealth, and estates, and all the responsibility that entails. It’s a role he’s not prepared for and one that he struggles to face.
But his biggest challenge is fighting his desire for an unexpected, enigmatic young woman who’s recently arrived in England, possessing little more than a dangerous and troublesome past. Reticent, beautiful, and musically gifted, she’s an alluring mystery, and Maxim’s longing for her deepens into a passion that he’s never experienced and dares not name. Just who is Alessia Demachi? Can Maxim protect her from the malevolence that threatens her? And what will she do when she learns that he’s been hiding secrets of his own?
As with the Fifty Shades trilogy, James will serve as a producer on the movie adaptation of The Mister, while Sara Scott and Lexi Barta are overseeing on behalf of Universal. As yet, no further talent is attached.
