Paramount Pictures is officially developing a feature film adaptation of Pierce Brown’s bestselling dystopian science fiction novel, Red Rising, with filmmaker Francis Lawrence attached to direct. Known for helming multiple installments of The Hunger Games franchise, Lawrence will bring the first book in Brown’s expansive series to the big screen, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
The screenplay will be written by Justin Rhodes, who previously collaborated with Lawrence on the development of Netflix’s upcoming film adaptation of the BioShock video game franchise. Rhodes also holds writing credits for Terminator: Dark Fate and Amazon Prime Video’s animated anthology series Secret Level.
Production Team and Previous Adaptation Attempts
Francis Lawrence and Cameron MacConomy will produce the film through their banner alongside Francesco Goedhuis. Author Pierce Brown will serve as an executive producer on the project.
This marks a renewed effort to bring the popular literary universe to visual media after previous attempts failed to advance. Universal Pictures originally acquired the movie rights to the first novel in 2014, but that planned feature was eventually shelved. Later, in 2018, Brown began developing a television adaptation with interest from major streaming services. However, the author confirmed in March 2026 that the television iteration would not move forward.
The Story of Red Rising
Set in a future on Mars, Red Rising introduces a strict color-coded class system where the superior, gold-colored caste rules over the rest of society. The narrative centers on Darrow, a young “Red” miner who belongs to the lowest tier of the social ladder. Reds believe their arduous physical labor is preparing the Martian surface for future generations.
After experiencing a devastating personal loss and uncovering the reality that humanity has already terraformed Mars, Darrow infiltrates the elite Gold society. Driven by a desire for justice and revenge, he undergoes a brutal transformation to dismantle the ruling hierarchy from within.
Expanding the Universe and Franchise Potential
Since the publication of the inaugural novel in 2014, the Red Rising saga has grown significantly. The series spans six published books-including Golden Son, Morning Star, Iron Gold, Dark Age, and Lightbringer-with a seventh and final novel titled Red God currently in development. In 2024, Brown announced on social media that the franchise had surpassed 6 million copies sold.
Paramount Pictures views the property as a strong candidate for a major cinematic franchise. The studio has accumulated several high-profile book adaptations, including Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone, Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library.
As the film remains in its early stages of development, Paramount has not yet announced a production start date, official casting choices, or a targeted release schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Red Rising Film Adaptation
Who is directing the Red Rising movie?
Francis Lawrence, best known for directing multiple films in The Hunger Games franchise and The Long Walk, is attached to direct the adaptation for Paramount Pictures.
Who is writing the screenplay?
Justin Rhodes, whose previous writing credits include Terminator: Dark Fate and Secret Level, is penning the script.
What is Red Rising about?
The story follows Darrow, a low-class “Red” miner on Mars who discovers his people are enslaved by a decadent ruling caste of “Golds.” He infiltrates their society to spark a rebellion and overthrow the color-coded hierarchy.
Why did previous film and TV adaptations fail?
Universal Pictures initially acquired movie rights in 2014 before shelving the project. A subsequent television series adaptation was developed starting in 2018, but author Pierce Brown confirmed in 2026 that it would not move forward.
How many books are in the Red Rising series?
There are six published novels in the series, with a seventh and final book, Red God, currently in progress.
