FilmWave snaps up rights to Bradford thriller

Film rights to A. A. Dhand's "gritty" Bradford-based thriller Streets of Darkness have gone to FilmWave, the producers behind the recent adaptation of JK Rowling's The Casual Vacancy for the BBC and HBO.

FilmWave bought rights to Streets of Darkness, the first book in a projected series, in a deal brokered by WME's Erin Conroy. 

The UK film and television production company produced the adaptation of Hans Fallada’s Alone in Berlin and John Carney’s film Sing Street. Paul Trijbits, who established the company, was also behind Disney’s Saving Mr. Banks, starring Tom Hanks, while his co-founder Christian Grass is former president of international production and acquisitions at Universal Pictures and before that was executive v.p. of EMEA for 20th Century Fox International.

Dhand's book has previously been described by its UK editor as "doing for Bradford what The Wire did for Baltimore". Streets of Darkenss will be published in June by Bantam in the UK through a previously-reported two-book UK and Commonwealth deal between Transworld publisher Bill Scott-Kerr and Simon Trewin at WME. 

FilmWave’s Trijbits said: "When we were made aware of Streets of Darkness by our book scout Lucy Abrahams, we simply could not put this explosive thriller down. A.A. Dhand's novel and the creation of DI Harry Virdee as the troubled inspector, who has 24 hours to solve a murder before Bradford literally goes up in smoke, has all the makings of a intense timely television series which will have audiences hooked to their screens."

Dhand, who was raised in Bradford, added: “Having written Streets of Darkness with a cinematic feel, I was thrilled with the competitive level of TV interest. When the team from Filmwave came up to Bradford to seal the deal I was blown away by their passion and I am convinced their creative vision will perfectly transfer the drama, pace and twists of the novel from print to screen.”