A Major Acquisition in the ‘New Adult’ Genre
Netflix has officially launched development on a feature film adaptation of Deep End, the #1 New York Times bestselling novel by author Ali Hazelwood. The acquisition comes after a competitive pre-empt process, signaling the streamer’s ongoing commitment to the ‘New Adult’ romance category, which has seen significant success in driving platform engagement and book sales.
Published in 2025 by Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House, Deep End follows a high-stakes romance between a competitive diver and an ace swimmer. The novel has achieved substantial commercial success, selling nearly 1.5 million copies worldwide and securing licensing deals in 21 territories.
Production and Creative Team
The adaptation will be produced by Shawn Levy and Dan Levine of 21 Laps, alongside Alex Cooper and Matt Kaplan of Unwell Productions. Laura Kosann has been tapped to write the screenplay. Ali Hazelwood will serve as an executive producer on the project, joined by Matthew Janzen for Unwell Productions. Emily Morris and Emily Feher are overseeing the project for 21 Laps.
For Laura Kosann, this project adds to a growing portfolio of high-profile adaptations, including the upcoming screen version of Butcher & Blackbird and a Sony-backed adaptation of the Chinese comedy Hi, Mom.
Netflix’s Strategic Focus on Book-to-Screen
This project marks another step in Netflix’s strategy of leveraging ‘BookTok’ and established literary hits to bolster its library. The strategy often results in a symbiotic relationship: film announcements frequently drive renewed interest in the source material. For example, the adaptation of Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation saw print sales double in the U.S. within two weeks of the film’s release on the platform.
Deep End is not the only sports-themed romance in the pipeline for the streamer; Netflix is also working on an adaptation of Hannah Grace’s Icebreaker, also produced by Unwell. These projects underscore the platform’s focus on the intersection of athletic subcultures and contemporary romance narratives.
Ali Hazelwood’s Expanding Portfolio
Ali Hazelwood, a former neuroscience professor who transitioned to full-time writing in 2022, has become a powerhouse in the romance genre, with over 10 million copies of her works sold globally. Beyond Deep End, audiences are anticipating the release of her debut adaptation, The Love Hypothesis, which is slated for Prime Video on September 23, produced by Amazon MGM and MRC.