EXCLUSIVE: Fresh off landing the film rights at Universal Pictures with Barry Jenkins attached to direct and Glen Powell attached to star, Matthew Aldrich’s unpublished manuscript has sold to a US publisher. In a preemptive deal, Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, acquired North American rights of The Natural Order for a significant six figure sum.VAtria plans to publish in fall of 2026.
The deal follows the news that the manuscript had sold to Universal with Barry Jenkins to direct and Glen Powell to Star. The high-profile sale was considered one of the bigger package sales of the year given the high-profile talent involved.
Peter Borland, Vice President and Editor in Chief of Atria Books had this to say about the novel:
“The Natural Order by Matthew Aldrich is the most exciting debut novel I’ve read in years. A cerebral thriller that is both riveting and emotionally resonant, it asks big questions about our society’s relentless pursuit of longevity and the unexpected dangers of becoming immortal.”
Aldrich most notably wrote Coco for Disney/Pixar; the film grossed more than $800 million worldwide and went on to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Warner Bros and DC Studios just greenlit his screenplay for Dynamic Duo, the Robin origin story, and has dated the film for a summer 2028 release.
CAA’s Mollie Glick handled the sale. Aldrich is further repoed by manager Jewerl Keats Ross and lawyer Jamie Feldman.
