Hollywood deal for his kids' book

David Baddiel has sold the film rights to his first children’s book, The Parent Agency.

The comic will adapt the story for the big screen under the new deal with Hollywood’s Fox 2000 studio, film industry website Deadline reports.

It revolves around Barry Bennett, who experiences an alternate universe where children are allowed to choose their parents.

The title was the bestselling hardback children’s debut of 2014 in the UK and published in the States earlier this year.

According to Deadline,  J.K. Rowling collaborator Neil Blair will executive produce the project. He has previously produced  adaptations of Fantastic Beasts And Where to Find Them and The Casual Vacancy from the Harry Potter author.

Baddiel will also be a producer on the project, alongside Ruth Kenley-Letts who previously brought Abi Morgan’s The Hour to TV screens.

Baddiel’s previous foray into cinema was 2010’s The Infidel, in which Omid Djalili played a man brought up Muslim who subsequently discovered he was Jewish by birth.

Published: 19 Jul 2016