Posts Tagged ‘Book-to-Film’

ANNO 2020 filmmaker adds historical adventure TV drama series to development slate

Posted: September 24, 2025 in Morcan films, New Zealand: A Novel
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News release: 24 December, 2025

Writer-director James Morcan, who celebrated his directorial debut this month with the streaming release of his mystery-drama movie ‘Anno 2020’, announced today he is putting his father’s recently published historical adventure ‘New Zealand: A Novel’ into early development as a television drama series.

The novel soon to be adapted to a TV drama series.

New Zealand-born, Sydney-based James said he and Lance (Morcan Snr.) have already begun adapting the ‘New Zealand’ novel to a TV script.

“It’s very cinematic and I could see a movie or ideally a televised drama running through it as I was reading it,” said James who usually writes in collaboration with his father.

“The story spans almost 500 years and covers the respective discoveries of New Zealand by the Islander ancestors of today’s Maori people and the European explorers who followed them. From the outset the two stories are interposed. It starts in the 1300’s with the departure of Islanders from Hawaiki in search of land far to the south.

“The novel is attracting excellent reviews and our publisher, Sterling Gate Books, announced this week the audible version is the company’s bestselling audiobook of the month.”

The prolific father-and-son writing team have already adapted several of their novels to feature film screenplays, including contemporary thrillers and other historical adventures.

Papamoa-based Lance Morcan said ‘New Zealand’ (working title) would be one of their first TV drama scripts.

“Two further novels in the ‘New Zealand Series’ have already been scoped so it’s quite conceivable the planned drama series will suit several or even multiple seasons,” said Morcan Snr.

“Initially, we will package it but will look to attach an experienced producer to head the production. It’s our intention that James will direct one or more of the episodes.”

For more about the Morcans’ film-related ventures visit their IMDb film industry pages at: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1909596/

To visit the ‘New Zealand’ blog site go to: https://morcanbooksandfilms.com/category/new-zealand-a-novel/

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Readers resonate with James Morcan’s ANNO 2020 the novel – now a controversial feature film

Posted: September 9, 2025 in ANNO 2020
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Sterling Gate Books’ mystery-drama tale ANNO 2020, now a contentious feature film as well as a published novel, is New Zealand-Australian writer-director James Morcan’s latest book-to-film project.

A screenwriter and novelist, James adapted the ANNO 2020 screenplay from his novel; after sellout cinema screenings in three Australian states, the resulting feature film is now poised to celebrate its global streaming premiere on YouTube and other streaming platforms.

Readers are resonating with ANNO 2020 the novel as a visit to its Amazon pages show. Billed as “A global kaleidoscope of interconnected characters seeking redemption, answers and justice amidst the chaos of Anno MMXX (Year 2020),” it’s gathering stellar reviews and currently enjoys a 4.5 out of 5 stars review rating.

James Morcan’s latest novel now available via Amazon as a paperback, hardcover and Kindle ebook.

U.S. arts aficionado Grady Harp writes, “Incorporating his skills developed in the cinematic field, both in acting and in screenwriting, James has created a global panoply of beautifully defined stances and characters to bring attention to the manner in which we all coped with the pandemic. His richly colorful locales include, Bali, Palestine, Brazil, Israel, Australia, China, the UK, USA, and Switzerland, and in each scene he has developed a myriad of personalities to offer as many perceptions of the pandemic and its effect on relationships as possible.”

To see what the critics are saying about this book, go to: https://www.amazon.com/Anno-2020-James-Morcan/dp/0473749688/

 The movie adaptation of ANNO 2020 is just one of several book-to-film projects James is associated with – as a visit to his IMDb film industry page will show… https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1909596/

Morcan novels currently in development as feature films include Silent Fear, The Heathrow Affair, Into the Americas and High Country Contract among others. Co-authored by Lance and James Morcan, these and other novels of the father-and-son writing team have been adapted to movie scripts with James directing.

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ANNO 2020 and SILENT FEAR movies both cater for Deaf and Hard of Hearing audiences

Posted: September 4, 2025 in ANNO 2020, SILENT FEAR novel
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The mystery-drama ANNO 2020, soon to premiere on global streaming platforms, has been meticulously subtitled for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HoH) as well as for numerous foreign language audiences. However, for this epic movie’s writer-director James Morcan, ANNO 2020 is not his first foray into catering for HoH viewers.

Subtitles and sign language also feature prominently in SILENT FEAR, a crime thriller which James and his father Lance co-wrote and adapted from their co-authored novel of the same name. It’s set in a London university for the Deaf where students are locked down during a deadly virus outbreak.

Both the SILENT FEAR novel and subsequent screenplay adaptation were written under the valued guidance of leading New Zealand Deaf filmmaker Brent Macpherson. Brent will serve as Co-producer and Deaf Consultant on that movie, which James is also directing.

In ‘Comments’ at the end of the book, Brent states: “The novel provides a valuable insight into the dynamics of the international Deaf community all in one setting. (i.e. a locked down London university for the Deaf). It highlights a wide range of Deaf cultural elements and behavioural characteristics unique to members of this community.”

The IMDb film industry link to SILENT FEAR is: https://lnkd.in/gfNbndcH

More about SILENT FEAR and ANNO 2020 from Deaf filmmaker Brent Macpherson himself…

Meanwhile, the countdown continues for ANNO 2020’s streaming premiere now only days away… From September 13, this movie streams on YouTube, Odysee, Daily Motion and Rumble among other streaming platforms. Watch this space!

Here’s the film’s YouTube premiere link: https://lnkd.in/gKD-NwKJ

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