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Peacock Orders Series Adaptation of Kennedy Ryan’s ‘Before I Let Go’
Confirmed
In Short: Peacock has greenlit a series based on Kennedy Ryan's novel 'Before I Let Go,' with showrunners Attica and Tembi Locke, who previously adapted their sister's memoir into a Netflix series.
Peacock has officially ordered a series adaptation of Kennedy Ryan's bestselling novel 'Before I Let Go,' bringing the Skyland series to television after several years of development. The project, which was initially acquired by Peacock in early 2023, now has a series order from the NBCUniversal streamer.
According to reports, the series will be written and co-created by Attica and Tembi Locke, who previously turned their sister Tembi's memoir 'From Scratch' into a successful Netflix series. The project will be produced by Universal Global Television and Universal Television, with Malcolm D. Lee and Kennedy Ryan co-writing the series.
Kennedy Ryan expressed her excitement about bringing the story to the screen, stating, 'Getting the chance to bring the Skyland series to life onscreen is a dream come true. I’m excited about what this remarkable team is creating.' Ryan added, 'None of this would be possible without the people who have supported my work for years. I’m incredibly grateful and excited to find a new audience for these books that have changed my life.
The series will now move forward with Attica and Tembi Locke serving as showrunners and writers, alongside Ryan and Lee. The project has been in the works for over three years and is expected to be a highly anticipated drama series.
What's confirmed
- This comes after Ryan and Lee created the series and co-wrote the pilot.
- “Getting the chance to bring the Skyland series to life onscreen is a dream come true. I’m excited about what this remarkable team is creating. Co-writing the pilot with Malcolm D. Lee and now imagining this world with Attica and Tembi is more than I even knew to ask for. These characters have meant so much to so many readers, and none of this would be possible without the people who have supported my work for years. I’m incredibly grateful and excited to find a new audience for these books that have changed my life,” said Ryan.
What's still developing
- Deadline broke the news in 2023 that the book would be adapted into a series with exec producers including Malcolm D.
- Lee, Dominique Telson, John Legend, Mike Jackson and Debra Martin Chase The series will now be written by From Scratch co-creators Attica Locke and Tembi Locke, who will serve as showrunners, Ryan and Lee.
- Peacock’s series order is being reported as a tidy greenlight, but the line that matters is the one about authorship.
- Repair is slow, verbal, unglamorous work, and Ryan wrote it that way.
- The Peacock deal grew out of development that began back in 2023 and hardened into a first-look pact with Universal, with Universal Global Television and Universal Television producing.
- Kennedy Ryan has done something rarer with Before I Let Go : she walked into the room and helped build the thing.
- Attica and Tembi Locke made From Scratch, a series that treated grief, marriage and a Black family’s interior life as material worthy of patient, unshowy attention.
- Lee are writing the series along with the author.