“The Hunger Games” actress Amandla Stenberg will star in Fox 2000’s “The Hate U Give,” based on the upcoming debut novel from Angela Thomas.
Wyck Godfrey and Mary Bowen’s Temple Hill and State Street are producing “The Hate U Give.” George Tillman Jr. will direct from a script by Audrey Wells.
Thomas’ story follows a 16-year-old who attends a suburban prep school and must deal with the aftermath of witnessing a police officer shoot her unarmed best friend. When she is called to testify in court, she has to face the consequences of what she does or doesn’t say.
Thomas began working on the book as a short story while a senior at Belhaven University. She was inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and the 2009 fatal shooting of Oscar Grant, an unarmed 22-year-old black man in Oakland, Calif. — which was recounted in the 2013 movie “Fruitvale Station.”
The title is based on Tupac Shakur’s tattoo T.H.U.G. The 28-year-old Thomas signed a two-book deal earlier this year with HarperCollins imprint Balzer + Bray.
Stenberg portrayed the tribute Rue in the first “Hunger Games” movie. Fox and Temple Hill previously teamed on “The Fault in Our Stars” and the “Maze Runner” franchise.
Wells’ credits include “Under the Tuscan Sun.” Tillman’s directing credits include “The Longest Ride,” “Notorious” and “Barbershop.”
UTA co-represented Thomas with her publishing agent, Brooks Sherman of the Bent Agency.
Stenberg is repped by UTA. Wells is repped by UTA, David Lonner and Steve Warren. Temple Hill is represented by UTA and attorney Ken Richman. Tillman is repped by CAA.
The news was first reported by the Hollywood Reporter.
