The popular middle-grade book series, Kiranmala & The Kingdom Beyond, is set to receive the animated television adaptation treatment. Submarine, known for Undone and The Kollective, and Rebel Maverick have joined forces to bring Sayantani DasGupta’s beloved book series to life on the small screen.
Success of the Book Series
Originally published by Scholastic, the first book in the series, The Serpent’s Secret, made its debut in 2018 and received numerous book awards. The success continued with the release of Kiranmala & The Kingdom Beyond: Game of Stars in 2019, which even made it to the New York Times bestseller list. Following this, the third book in the series, Kiranmala & The Kingdom Beyond: The Chaos Curse, was published in 2020.
Expansion and Spin-Offs
In addition to the main book trilogy, a spin-off series titled Force of Fire was released, along with a third trilogy, The Secrets of the Sky, which launched in July of the previous year. However, the focus of the TV adaptation will be on the original book trilogy, which captivated readers with its magical and adventurous storytelling.
Development of the TV Series
The adaptation will be led by Sayantani DasGupta herself, who will be working alongside animation writer and Emmy winner Michael Ryan. Ryan will be responsible for writing the pilot episode and will also serve as the Head Writer for the series. The project will be executive produced by Bruno Felix and Phil Molloy from Submarine Sublime, in collaboration with Matt Nicholas and Nastassja Kayln from Rebel Maverick.
International Reach
The animated series is poised to make its mark on both the international and U.S. markets this year. Submarine, with studios in Amsterdam, Los Angeles, Antwerp, and London, is no stranger to producing high-quality content for global audiences. Their portfolio includes Prime Video’s Undone and Netflix’s Apollo 10 1/2, as well as the European co-produced drama, The Kollective.
Rebel Maverick, a dynamic writing and production team led by Nicholas and Kayln, has been making waves in the industry with various TV and film projects in the pipeline. With partnerships with renowned names such as Sony, Gabrielle Union’s I’ll Have Another Productions, and Gina Rodriguez’s I Can & I Will Productions, Rebel Maverick is solidifying its position as a key player in the entertainment industry.
In addition to their involvement in the Kiranmala & The Kingdom Beyond adaptation, Rebel Maverick is working on an adult anime series titled Allure: The Evening Primrose, featuring Grand Slam tennis champion Naomi Osaka. The team recently executive produced the indie horror feature Fanged and is set to collaborate on other major projects in the near future.
Industry Representation
Both Michael Ryan and Sayantani DasGupta are well-represented in the industry, with Ryan being repped by Gotham Group and DasGupta by Triada US Literary Agency. Their collaborations with Submarine, Rebel Maverick, and other industry players highlight the importance of strong partnerships and creative vision in bringing beloved stories to new audiences on the screen.
As the production of the Kiranmala & The Kingdom Beyond animated TV series continues to gain momentum, fans of the book series and newcomers alike can look forward to a visually stunning and captivating adaptation that stays true to the magic and wonder of DasGupta’s storytelling.