Oct 15, 2004 - New Line Cinema acquired film rights to "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell," the bestselling novel by Susanna Clarke. Clarke's novel was sought after by several studios, with New Line ultimately winning the rights to make a movie based on the book.
In a press release announcing the deal author Clarke stated, "'The Lord of the Rings' is my favorite movie - I've seen it more times than I can count. So I'm delighted. New Line seems an excellent home for 'Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.'" Clarke will be actively involved in the film as a producer.
New Line Executive VP of Production Mark Ordesky was quoted as saying, "This is a book we have been chasing since April. Susanna Clarke makes you believe that magic is real, vibrant and dangerous. The rich detailed, historical setting, and Susanna's tremendous wit and intelligence, elevates the book to the level of great literature."
"Jonathan Strange & Mr Norell" Official Synopsis
"Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell" is a dense 800-page novel which Clarke penned over a 10-year period. The book tells the story of two feuding magicians who attempt to restore English magic in the age of Napoleon and combines the dark mythological fantasy of J.R.R. Tolkien with the social comedy of Jane Austen.
