Bestselling author Andrea Portes sets up “Henry & Eva” as film franchise

PanARMENIAN.Net - Bestselling novelist Andrea Portes and screenwriter Joel Silverman are setting up Gothic series “Henry & Eva” as a potential movie franchise, Variety has learned exclusively.

Portes’ debut novel “Hick,” published in 2007, was basis for the 2011 movie of the same name, starring Chloe Moretz, Alec Baldwin, Eddie Redmaye, Juliette Lewis and Blake Lively. She then teamed up with Silverman on setting up screenplays adapted from her novels “Anatomy of a Misfit” and “Liberty.”

Harper Collins announced last month that it had committed to Portes’ multi-book franchise “Henry and Eva,” set in Big Sur and following the titular 9-year-old brother and 11-year-old sister as they attempt to solve the mystery of their parents’ deaths. They do their sleuthing under the watchful eye of their greedy uncle, his tacky wife and ghosts.

Their talents are enhanced by their ability to communicate with ghosts – the first being those of their murdered parents. The opening novel is “Henry and Eva: The Castle on the Cliff.”

The duo are planning to meet with producers shortly.

“Anatomy of a Misfit” was sold to Harper Collins two years ago and the duo sold a pitch of the novel to Paramount with Allie Shearmur producing for them to co-write. The story involves the third-most-popular girl in school secretly dating a troubled loner when the most popular guy is suddenly interested in her.

Fox 2000 bought movie rights to “Liberty” and set up the project with Temple Hill’s Wyck Godfrey. The story centers on a college student recruited by the CIA to work on the case of her parents, journalists who were kidnapped while covering the civil war in Libya.

Portes’ other novels include “Bury This,” the upcoming “The Fall of Butterflies” and the sci-fi series “Super Rad.”

Silverman’s credits include “Full Court Miracle.” He set up “Garo” with Jerry Bruckheimer producing and “Undefeated” with producer Scott Stuber.

Portes and Silverman are represented by Jordan Bayer and Chris Sablan of Original Artists. Portes is also repped by Rosemary Stimola of Stimola Literary Studio.