CANNES, France — Paramount Pictures has officially won a fierce Hollywood bidding war, securing the global distribution rights for the upcoming film adaptation of Matt Haig’s bestselling novel, The Midnight Library.
The studio reportedly locked down the highly anticipated project in a massive 36 million dollar deal. The film is set to star Oscar-nominated actress Florence Pugh and will be directed by acclaimed filmmaker Garth Davis.
The psychological drama became one of the hottest properties at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, sparking intense competition. Paramount ultimately beat out rival bids from major studios including Focus Features and Sony to secure the North American rights.
A STRATEGIC GLOBAL ROLLOUT
According to industry sources with direct knowledge of the deal, the distribution responsibilities will be split internationally. Production giant Studiocanal is set to handle the theatrical release across the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Benelux, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Paramount Pictures will oversee the theatrical rollout and distribution for the rest of the global market.
The multimillion-dollar agreement materialized quickly after worldwide sales for the project were launched at Cannes, where the high-profile packages immediately triggered a high-stakes bidding war among executives.
THE PERFECT CREATIVE TEAM
Earlier this month, Studiocanal and Blueprint Pictures officially confirmed the powerhouse pairings of Davis and Pugh. The director expressed immense enthusiasm about reuniting with Pugh, praising her exceptional warmth and magical talent.
Davis stated that the iconic novel serves as a true celebration of life in all its complexity and possibility. He added that he cannot wait to bring the adventure to the silver screen alongside the creative backing of Blueprint Pictures and Studiocanal.
Author Matt Haig also shared his excitement regarding the adaptation, noting that he is thrilled to see his main character's story in the hands of the absolute perfect creative team.
EXPLORING ALTERNATE REALITIES
The Midnight Library follows the poignant journey of Nora Seed, a woman who stumbles into a mystical, infinite library existing on the precipice between life and death. Within the library, she is given the unique opportunity to step into alternative versions of her own life to see how her choices would have changed her fate.
The fantasy-drama has already entered the fast track for development following the successful Cannes market run.
Production teams are scheduled to officially begin pre-production on the film later this autumn, with further casting announcements expected in the coming months.
