Harry, Meghan turn Hollywood producers, spend ₹31.5 crore on rights of romantic novel for Netflix movie: Report

livemint.com:

Meet Me At The Lake by former journalist-turned-author Carley Fortune. Estimated to cost up to a staggering £3 million ( ₹31.5 crore), the love story resonates with echoes of Harry and Meghan's real-life romance, The Sun reported. Themes of childhood trauma, mental health and post-natal depression are interwoven into the narrative, making it a perfect fit for the couple's interests and experiences.

“This is their biggest and most significant as producers," the publication quoted a source as saying. The rights to the romantic novel Meet Me At The Lake could have been acquired at a substantial cost, estimated to be around £3 million, The Sun added. LiveMint could not independently verify the report.

The novel is described as a poignant "love story" that unfolds between a couple in their 30s, bearing striking resemblances to the real-life relationship of the Duke and Duchess. This marks the first time Archewell Productions, founded by the Sussexes, under their reported £80 million Netflix deal, is turning a novel into a fictional drama. Despite facing a screenwriters' strike in Hollywood, the project has not stalled, with insiders revealing that the book's themes deeply intrigued the couple, driving their decision to adapt it for Netflix, reported the publication.

Harry and Meghan's previous Netflix documentary series, Harry & Meghan, smashed viewing records, but it seems their focus has now shifted away from self-referential projects. The couple is keen on exploring scripted fiction and highlighting other characters instead. Carley Fortune's novel, set near Meghan's former home in Toronto, has seen immense success, with 37,000 copies sold in its first week alone.