James Frey Sells Rights to YA Novel Endgame to Fox and HarperCollins for $2 Million

Posted on January 15, 2014

Deadline reports that James Frey's career is still going like gangbusters. Frey, who is best known for lying to readers and Oprah Winfrey by claiming his "memoir" A Million Little Pieces bore any resemblance to the truth, was the subject of a bidding war which Fox and HarperCollins just won. So what has Frey sold now?

His young adult novel Endgame was picked up by Fox for around $2 million. HarperCollins will publish the book. The book takes place on a world similar to Earth. There are twelve bloodlines, each of which has one champion which is a teen between 13 and 17 (yes, it sounds very Hunger Games). The champions do battle whenever needed and if they make it to 18 the next teen takes his or her place. One day they are all called to battle and the losers have their entire bloodline or race exterminated. The goal is the be the last bloodline standing. Oh, and no one knows why they do this although it's been the tradition for hundreds of years.

Given how all these YA novels turned into films are bombing lately - and considering how awful Frey's I am Number 4 did at the box office, we're a little surprised at the bidding war. But Hunger Games: Catching Fire was the top grossing film of 2013, so that's probably has something to do with it.

Photo: HarperCollins