Former ‘Harry Potter’ fan fiction set for film adaptation
Production company Legendary closed a seven-figure deal for the rights to “Alchemised,” an upcoming dark fantasy novel written by SenLinYu. The novel originally began as fanfiction between Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger, characters from the enduring “Harry Potter” series who are often coupled up by fans as “Dramione.”
Acquired by Legendary to quell any future competition, the deal is said to be one of the highest sums ever paid for a book’s film rights at more than $3 million, not accounting for inflation.
The American author is a staple of the Harry Potter fandom, initially gaining popularity for writing “Manacled,” another fanfiction between Hermione and Draco—set in the world of Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
Since its publication in 2019, “Manacled” has garnered over 26,000 reviews and a 4.63-star rating on the book review app Goodreads. It continues to be a topic of conversation on fandom spaces such as TikTok, with fans creating reaction videos and their own film trailers.
SenLinYu’s most recent work, “Alchemised,” was also a “Dramione” fanfiction but has been redeveloped into a story separate from the Harry Potter universe, with its own original world and characters.
The novel will introduce readers to the magical yet dark world of Paladia and its mysterious protagonist, Helena Marino. A former alchemist turned amnesiac prisoner of war, she must rediscover her past with the help of a powerful necromancer who resides in the crumbling estate of High Reeve, according to the novel’s official website.
The acquisition of “Alchemised” highlights a growing trend of fanfiction being reimagined for mainstream publishing, then adapted into film.
A notable example is Ali Hazelwood’s “The Love Hypothesis.” Initially a fanfiction between Star Wars characters Kylo Ren/Ben Solo and Rey, the novel is currently being filmed under Amazon’s MGM Studios. Another former fanfiction-turned-film is E.L. James’ “Fifty Shades of Grey.” Originally titled “Master of the Universe” and written for the “Twilight” fandom, the erotic drama novel went on to become a successful film in 2015.
While further details on the “Alchemised” film adaptation are yet to be released, the novel is set to be published under Penguin Random House on Sept. 23, 2025.
