Noah Can't Even optioned for TV

Simon James Green’s YA debut, Noah Can’t Even, has been optioned for TV by Urban Myth Films.

Published in May 2017 by Scholastic UK, the novel features “painfully geeky protagonist” Noah Grimes who aims to survive the school hierarchy by starting a relationship with a girl called Sophie. His plans go awry when his best friend Harry kisses him at a party.

Linas Alsenas, commissioning editor at Scholastic, bought world rights to Noah Can’t Even and its sequel (due to publish in summer 2018) from Joanna Moult, agent at the Skylark Literary.

After interest from multiple production companies according to the publisher, Urban Myth Films (producers of “Merlin”, “Misfits” and “Sugar Rush”) acquired the option for television adaptation from Scholastic.

James Green has worked extensively for stage and television, including West End shows “The Rocky Horror Show”, “Rent” and “West Side Story”. He directed “Hollyoaks” for Channel 4 and co-writes screenplays such as “Rules of Love”, a feature-length teen rom-com for the BBC.

He said: “The team at Urban Myth have been responsible for some of my all-time favourite shows, so I’m thrilled that Noah has found a home with them. Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy are incredibly talented producers who are hugely passionate about the book and making Noah Can’t Even into a TV show is a dream come true.”

He added: “I’m really excited to start working with them to bring Noah’s assorted antics and mishaps to the screen.”

Johnny Capps, co-creator and executive producer at Urban Myth Films, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Simon James Green on adapting his debut Scholastic novel Noah Can’t Even for television. This highly original take on the pain of adolescence has a truly world wide appeal and is a perfect Urban Myth Films Project.”