Laurie Petrou’s literary thriller “Stargazer” is among a trio of titles that have been optioned by Canadian production company Nikki Ray Media Agency as it continues to expand into scripted content.
Coming-of-age novel “Stargazer” revolves around two friends from affluent backgrounds in 1995 and examines female friendships. The novel debuted in June, made several best-of lists and is currently in its third printing.
In addition to “Stargazer,” Nikki Ray has also optioned Jennifer Robertson’s “Bitcoin Widow,” the real-life story of a woman and her husband who owned the cryptocurrency agency Quadriga. When the husband died while on their honeymoon, the wife discovered unsettling truths about the company — including a missing $250 million.
The prodco also confirmed it has optioned Dean Jobb’s “The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream,” a true-crime mystery about a Canadian serial killer named Dr. Thomas Neill Cream who targeted the women who came to him for help with medical abortions in the 1890s.
The options are the latest by the company as it continues expanding into the scripted space. Recently, Nikki Ray completed four TV romance movies under the banner of “The Love Club.” The films are set to premiere as part of the winter 2023 schedule of Canadian media group Corus Entertainment.
“Our goal at Nikki Ray is to always produce content that resonates with audiences, no matter the genre,” said Mike Sheerin, co-CEO and executive producer at Nikki Ray Media Agency, in a statement to PvNew.
“With so many wonderful, rich and complex stories in the scripted space, we felt it was the perfect time to expand our portfolio and collaborate with partners like Laurie Petrou to bring her vision to life. We look forward to developing even more projects for audiences to enjoy as we expand our footprint in the scripted world.”
In Canada, Nikki Ray is the company behind international-selling titles including “The Big Bake,” “Great Chocolate Showdown” and “Fire Masters.”
“We are so excited to be working with Laurie Petrou on adapting her incredible novel for the screen,” added Tanya Linton, co-CEO and executive producer in a release. “‘Stargazer’ is such a compelling story that has already thrilled readers all over the world. We look forward to adapting it into a highly watchable series.”
