Showcasing the kind of risk aversion usually reserved for investing only in government savings bonds, Hollywood has once again decided to produce a potential film series based on a line of young adult books. The series in question, Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley, bucks the current trends of post-apocalyptic YA fare, at least, returning instead to the well-trod territory of supernatural high school. Until recent genre flops like Vampire Academy and Werewolf Prep, this subset of films have provided solid return on investment, making the acquisition by Kick-Ass and X-Men: First Class director Matthew Vaughn a prudent one.
Vaughn is no stranger to bringing works aimed at young adults to the screen, having directed Neil Gaiman’s Stardust, as well as writing the screenplays for the Kick-Ass films. At present, Vaughn is only attached to produce, though he may end up writing or directing as well.
Ghostgirl and its sequels follow popularity-obsessed high schooler Charlotte Usher, who embarrassingly dies choking on a gummy bear while at school, and is now forced to navigate its spirit version, Dead Ed. Charlotte’s classes are peopled by a multitude of similarly dead teens (making one wonder why the books aren’t just about police investigating the avalanche of teen deaths in this community). The series boasts five books at present, which have already been translated in 20 languages, suggesting both longevity and a large international box office.