Terry Pratchett’s Beloved ‘Discworld’ Books to Be Adapted Into a TV Series

Terry Pratchett‘s beloved fantasy series Discworld is finally coming to the screen. On the heels of the upcoming BBC TV adaptation of the Discworld-inspired The Watch, Pratchett’s production company Narrativia, which the author founded shortly before he passed away in 2015, has struck a new deal with Motive Pictures and Endeavor Content for a slate of Discworld TV series adaptations.

Variety reports that Pratchett’s production company Narrativia, which the author launched in 2012, has struck an exclusive development deal with Motive Pictures and Endeavor Content for a series of Discworld TV series adaptations that will remain “absolutely faithful” to Pratchett’s original works and comic tone. While it’s not yet known which of the Discworld books will be adapted first, Motive and Endeavor have a rich well of source material to draw from — over 40 books have been published in the comic-fantasy series, which has spawned dozens of short stories, graphic novels, and board games.

The beloved fantasy series, which has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide, takes place on a flat planet balanced on the backs of four elephants, which in turn, stand on the back of a giant turtle. Discworld made up of a series of interconnected stories that takes inspiration from — and often parody — the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert E. Howard, H. P. Lovecraft, Charles Dickens, and William Shakespeare. The series was considered notoriously difficult to adapt to film due to the complexity of the novels, though there have been several U.K. TV adaptations over the years.

“Discworld teems with unique characters, witty narrative and incredible literary tropes, and we feel these should be realised on screen in a form that my father would be proud of,” Rhianna Pratchett, co-director of Narrativia and Pratchett’s daughter, said. “It’s wonderful to embark on this journey with Motive and Endeavor Content, who both perfectly share our vision to make this a reality.”

“The Discworld books are a huge source of joy to millions of readers, and rightly so; every paragraph, phrase and footnote was crafted with brilliance and flair and we are committed to bringing Terry’s world to the screen with the respect and care it deserves. With this partnership, we are delighted to say that Discworld has finally found its home,” Rob Wilkins, managing director of Narrativia, added.

The final Discworld book was completed in 2014, shortly before Pratchett’s death in 2015. But Pratchett’s works have seen a boom in adaptations lately, with “The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents,” from the Discworld series, recently adapted into an animated film and the acclaimed Good Omens, which Pratchett co-penned with Neil Gaiman, becoming an equally acclaimed Amazon series last year.

The Discworld deal was struck by Wilkins of Narrativia and Simon Maxwell of Motive Pictures, with Endeavor Content. Maxwell and Sam Lavender will executive produce for Motive, while Endeavor will handle worldwide sales.

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