Screen Gems has preemptively closed a deal to develop the feature film based on the upcoming young-adult fantasy series “Black City,” written by Elizabeth Richards. The first book in the series, “Black City,” will be released this coming November 13 via publisher Putnam Juvenile, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group. The studio says it moved quickly to complete the rights deal for the series based on the high level of anticipation for the property in the online community and other young adult circles. Screen Gems is currently searching for a screenwriter to adapt the material for film.

“Black City” tells the story of a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable--they fall in love.

“Black City” marks Elizabeth Richards’ debut novel. Richards is an award-winning journalist who spent her early career reviewing video games for a living before making the bold move to become a travel writer and editor, specializing in cruise holidays, despite suffering from terrible sea sickness. In her spare time Elizabeth ran a successful lifestyle website aimed at teenage girls, where she got to interview many of her favorite bands, go to gigs and basically bag loads of free swag all in the name of "research." More recently she worked as a website editor before deciding to pursue her dream of becoming an author. She now dedicates her time to writing fantasy books aimed at young adults.