Red Rising is getting another shot at the big screen. Paramount has picked up the film rights to Pierce Brown’s sci-fi series, with The Hunger Games: Catching Fire director Francis Lawrence attached to direct, according to reporting first published by The Hollywood Reporter. Justin Rhodes will write the screenplay, while Brown will serve as executive producer.
In brief:
- Paramount is developing a film adaptation of the first Red Rising novel.
- Francis Lawrence is attached to direct, with Justin Rhodes writing.
- Author Pierce Brown will executive produce.
- Casting and a release date remain unannounced in the reports reviewed.
Francis Lawrence Will Direct Paramount’s Red Rising Adaptation
The project will adapt the opening book in Brown’s series, giving Lawrence another dystopian world to bring to theaters. Alongside directing the film, he will produce with Cameron MacConomy and Francesco Goedhuis.
Rhodes and Lawrence have worked together before, having developed a film adaptation of BioShock. Their involvement gives the Red Rising project an established creative partnership, while Brown’s executive producer role keeps the author involved. The reports have yet to detail how much creative oversight he will have.
What Is Red Rising About?
First published in 2014, Red Rising follows Darrow, a miner living beneath the surface of Mars. He belongs to the Reds, the lowest caste in a society that assigns people their place through a color-based hierarchy.
Darrow believes his work is helping prepare Mars for future generations. Then he discovers that people have already been living on the surface for generations, enjoying a world his community has been denied.
His response takes him into the Institute, where members of the ruling Gold caste compete for power. Darrow must infiltrate their ranks and survive their brutal competition while pursuing a rebellion against the system.
Understandably, that premise gives the film plenty to work with, such as a hostile society, dangerous alliances, and a protagonist forced to live among the people he wants to overthrow.
Red Rising Returns to Film After Earlier Adaptation Attempts
The announcement follows years of attempts to bring Brown’s story to the screen. A television adaptation had also been in development, but Brown confirmed earlier in 2026 that it was no longer moving forward, according to CinemaBlend. Paramount’s project puts the focus back on a feature film.
As of writing, the biggest unanswered question is who will play Darrow, as there is no casting announcement or release date, so fans will have to wait for those details as development progresses.
