As Prince Harry's provocative memoir, "Spare," dominates bookshelves, royal pundit Gemma Tognini cautions that its cinematic adaptation may not necessarily echo the book's success.
The discussion arose on Sky News Australia's "The Royal Report" hosted by Caroline Di Russo, with News.com.au entertainment reporter, Bronte Coy, also weighing in. The dialogue centered on the Duke of Sussex's memoir which, according to Forbes, holds the current title of the No.1 bestselling nonfiction book this year. With over a million copies sold in the U.S. alone, speculation has emerged that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex may seek to sell the book's rights for a film adaptation.
Tognini, the founder of GT Communications, asserted, "No, it doesn't. Not necessarily," when questioned whether a bestselling book naturally translates into a successful movie. The strategic advisor posited that book sales don't necessarily reflect popularity, saying, "There's hate purchases in there. I know people who are like, 'I can't stand it, but I have to read it.' So I don't necessarily think it's going to be a blockbuster."
She went on to suggest that the success of any movie adaptation would hinge on various aspects, including its production quality, the caliber of the script, casting choices, and how it is marketed.
"Where the Crawdads Sing," a bestselling book whose movie adaptation reportedly flopped, served as Tognini's example of how literary popularity doesn't guarantee cinematic acclaim. "Case in point, I don't think ['Spare' is] going to be necessarily a blockbuster," Tognini concluded.
These claims, as discussed on the panel, have not been independently verified by International Business Times.
Recent coverage from the Daily Express has fueled speculations about the Sussexes planning to auction off the film rights to "Spare," released earlier this year. As the couple already have an estimated $100 million multi-year deal with Netflix, the streaming giant is seen as a potential front-runner for the rights.
However, a source close to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle told the New York Post that the couple "have no intention of turning 'Spare' into a film."
Following their recent break from Spotify, Netflix announced ongoing projects with the Sussexes. A spokesperson for the platform expressed their enthusiasm about the partnership with Archewell Productions, stating that "'Harry & Meghan' was Netflix's biggest documentary debut ever, and we'll continue to work together on a number of projects, including the upcoming documentary series 'Heart of Invictus.'"
