Atria and Emily Bestler Books Launch New Horror Imprint With 12:01 Films (EXCLUSIVE)

12:01 Books, a new horror publishing label founded by Scott Glassgold, producer from 12:01 Films, and Emily Bestler, head of Emily Bestler Books, has been officially launched. This venture aims to nurture and publish intellectual properties created by authors themselves. The deal was brokered by Liz Parker, a partner at Verve.

Collaboratively, they plan to create and release a thoughtfully selected collection of horror stories, partnering with both new and seasoned artists and writers to bring out captivating literary works and potential movies.

In both filmmaking and book publishing, everything begins with the written word. Our goal is to celebrate these common roots and offer our authors a space to nurture their stories so they can blossom into successful movies and novels. We couldn’t ask for a more perfect literary collaborator in this endeavor than the remarkable Emily Bestler,” as expressed by Glassgold.

2024 saw two of my favorite books published by Emily Bestler Books: “We Used to Live Here” by Marcus Kliewer, which Netflix has picked up with Blake Lively set to star and produce, and “Wilderness Reform” by Matt Query and Harrison Query, a hot property that got swept away in a fierce bidding war by Paramount. I’m beyond thrilled to be part of the production team for both these incredible feature film adaptations.

Libby McGuire, Senior Vice President and Publisher at Atria Books, is excited about the collaboration with Scott Glassgold. His innovative ideas, coupled with his dynamic energy and creativity, perfectly complement Emily Bestler’s exceptional publishing work,” says McGuire.

According to Parker, “Stories are always priority number one, and as we strive to bridge the gap between exceptional literature and top-notch content, 12:01 Books is an extension of the impressive reputation built by 12:01 Films.

12:01: In 2026, Kliewer’s eagerly awaited second novel, “The Caretaker,” will hit the shelves for its release. The movie adaptation of this novel is in progress at Universal Studios, with Sydney Sweeney set to star and produce alongside Glassgold and Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes.

Kliewer’s remarkable achievement significantly contributed to the establishment of the new publishing label. Bestler remembers pondering, “Why can’t we collaborate and find a method to pioneer something fresh by combining film and literature, particularly in the rapidly expanding genre of horror?

The unique collaboration between this publisher and film producer rapidly propels ideas from intriguing concepts to both the cinema and bookshelves, as she explains to EbMaster. “It’s quite uncommon for a partnership like this to exist,” she says, “and I believe it’s going to be incredibly exciting to streamline the process, reducing the time from someone conceiving an idea to Scott and Liz recognizing its value, bypassing the traditional three to four-year process. Instead, we’ll have a swift, quality-focused process that delivers multiple formats much sooner than usual.

According to Glassgold, everything we construct is based on grand concepts. We invest a significant amount of our efforts in finding the perfect idea because if too much time is spent on mediocre or acceptable ideas, the project may never take off. Therefore, we are meticulous about ensuring it’s unique, innovative, and marketable. We aim to appeal to an audience, and that’s where we resonated with Emily’s appreciation for large, trend-setting ideas that always attract a following.

This groundbreaking model offers chances for emerging storytellers who are not part of the conventional publishing system. As Parker states, “We must maintain faith that the next brilliant voice could be lurking anywhere. If we don’t, we risk becoming overly fixated on the notion that things have to be done in a specific way, and exceptional books only come from certain sources.

The world of book publishing is moving towards film production, Bestler notes. This means we’re no longer needing persuasion to publish a spine-tingling horror novel and create a terrifying movie that will leave everyone quivering. All we need is the right material!

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2025-02-13 21:17