Heyday Snags Ashley Audrain’s Debut Novel ‘The Push’ After Nine-Way Bidding War

Heyday Television, the production company run by Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Marriage Story producer David Heyman, has acquired the film and TV rights to Ashley Audrain’s debut novel The Push.

Heyday triumphed in a nine-way bidding war for the Penguin Michael Joseph book, which is set to be published next year and has drawn comparisons with We Need To Talk About Kevin, the Lionel Shriver psychological thriller the was adapted into a Tilda Swinton film in 2011.

The Push is described as a “suspenseful, visceral novel, exploring how an unspeakable act can reverberate through generations.” The publisher adds that it “will ignite discussion around the expectations of motherhood that we’re taught not to question, such as the concept of nature vs nurture, and the notion of unconditional love.”

Audrain will serve as an executive producer on Heyday’s adaptation. The NBCUniversal International Studios-backed company optioned the rights from the Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV & Film Agency, in a deal brokered by Hayley Steed.

“I cannot recall the last time I read a novel as haunting as The Push. It is challenging, moving and thought provoking in all the best ways,” said Heyman.

Heyday, which makes BBC One’s The Capture, has been on something of an optioning spree. It has snagged the rights to Middle School’s A Drag, You Better Werk! and fantasy crime novel Priest of Bones in recent months.

More from Deadline

• Heyday Adapting Fantasy Crime Novel 'Priest Of Bones' For Television

• 'The Capture': BBC Renews NBCUniversal Surveillance Thriller For Second Season

• David Heyman's Heyday Television Adapting Greg Howard's 'Middle School's A Drag, You Better Werk!' For TV

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