Imagine Entertainment has secured film rights for highly anticipated novel, Whalefall, by New York Times bestselling author Daniel Kraus. The pre-emptive deal was reached ahead of the novel’s August 8 release, published by MTV Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
Agreements like this are few and far between right now due to the on-going SAG-AFTRA and the WGA strikes. While the plan is to develop Whalefall into a feature film, no development or writing will be done until new guild contracts are struck.
The novel combines the suspenseful elements of The Martian and the sheer will to survive against all odds of 127 Hours. Daniel Kraus (The Living Dead, The Shape of Water) creates a compelling story that intertwines mourning, self-discovery, and human perseverance within the context of a calamitous diving expedition.
Imagine Entertainment’s SVP Features Allan Mandelbaum will oversee alongside Karen Lunder, President of Features. 3 Arts Entertainment’s Richard Abate and Will Rowbotham will serve as executive producers along with Imagine.
“We are thrilled to be entrusted with the adaptation of Whalefall. Daniel Kraus has crafted an extraordinary primordial adventure that is equal parts moving character study and edge-of-your-seat thriller,” said Lunder and Mandelbaum in a statement to Deadline. “At Imagine, we are passionate about bringing stories to the screen that convey the full range of the human experience, and Whalefall is a perfect addition.”
Daniel Kraus is a New York Times bestselling author. His collaboration with legendary filmmaker George A. Romero, The Living Dead, was acclaimed by The New York Times and The Washington Post.
With Guillermo del Toro, he co-authored The Shape of Water, based on the same idea the two created for the Oscar-winning film. Also with del Toro, Kraus co-authored Trollhunters, which was adapted into the Emmy-winning Netflix series. Kraus’s The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch was named one of Entertainment Weekly‘s Top 10 Books of the Year. Kraus has won a Scribe Award, two Odyssey Awards (for both Rotters and Scowler), is a four-time Bram Stoker Award finalist, and has appeared multiple times as Library Guild selections, YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults, and more.
Be sure to check out Episode 119 of the Capes and Tights Podcast where Justin Soderberg chats with Daniel Kraus about Whalefall and more!
Whalefall, A Literary Beer
Recently, Orono Brewing Company (Orono, ME) has partnered with Daniel Kraus and MTV Books to brew a special India Pale Ale to celebrate the release of Daniel’s latest novel, Whalefall. The limited edition IPA will be released August 4, 2023, directly in the heart of whale watching season. From April-October multiple species visit Maine’s waters, including humpback, finback, minke and pilot.
The beer will be available throughout the State of Maine with the initial release taking place at both Orono Brewing locations.
Daniel Kraus will be in Bangor, ME on August 26 to sign copies of Whalefall, comics and more at BookSpace (48 Columbia St) as well as Galactic Comics (547 Hammond Street).
