Paramount Pictures has scooped North American and select international distribution rights to “The Midnight Library” from Studiocanal following a bidding war at the Cannes film market. Florence Pugh is attached to star and also produce, while Garth Davis (“Lion”) is set to direct. 

Studiocanal, the powerful production-distribution banner that’s part of Canal+ Group, will distribute the film in the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Benelux, Australia, New Zealand and through partners in Scandinavia and South Africa, with Paramount distributing in major markets in the rest of world. The movie is budgeted in the $70 million range and the sale’s price tag is believed to be substantially more than the $30 million reported in other outlets.

The screenplay is written by Laura Wade and Nick Payne. It’s an adaptation of a widely popular novel (published by Canongate Books in 2020), which sold 15 million copies worldwide and has been translated into 56 languages.  

Set to start filming in early 2027, the film will star Pugh as Nora Seed, who finds herself in a library between life and death with the chance to experience all the potential lives she could have lived. 

The movie reteams Studiocanal and Blueprint Pictures as production partners. Previous collaborations include John Patton Ford’s “How to Make a Killing,” co-distributed by A24 and starring Glen Powell and Margaret Qualley; and Thea Sharrock’s “Wicked Little Letters” starring Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley.
 
“Like so many around the world, we are huge fans of Matt Haig’s novel. We’re honored to bring this beloved story to the big screen with Studiocanal and BluePrint and the immensely talented Garth Davis and Florence Pugh,” said Paramount Pictures co-chairs Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg. “We thank Lia Buman for bringing this exciting project to Paramount, and we hope this is the first of many collaborations with Anna Marsh and StudioCanal. 

Anna Marsh, Studiocanal CEO and CANAL+ CCO, said, “Under Garth Davis’ visionary direction, ‘The Midnight Library’ is precisely the kind of film that can resonate across generations and around the world. His film is emotionally profound, life-affirming and inherently cinematic.”

“From our earliest conversations Paramount demonstrated a deep understanding of the project’s creative ambition with an exceptional commitment to translating this remarkable book to the big screen domestically and beyond,” Marsh continued.
 
“The Midnight Library” marks the first acquisition for Lia Buman’s team since joining the company in December 2025. Buman recently joined Paramount from Tango. Sejin Croninger led the negotiations for Paramount. Anne Cherel and Aska Yamaguchi led the negotiations on behalf of Studiocanal.

Haig will executive produce with Marsh, Ron Halpern, and Dan MacRae executive producing for Studiocanal.