YA Fantasy Novel 'The Thief' Being Adapted For Disney+

Disney is planning on adapting Megan Whalen Turner's YA fantasy novel The Thief for Disney+. It's not entirely clear if this is going to be a film or a TV show, but in either case, Disney's live-action team is working on the adaptation, with a script from screenwriter Brian Duffield (The Divergent Series: Insurgent, Love and Monsters). The book is the first in a series, and tells the story of a thief sprung from prison to search for a "legendary object."

THR has the scoop that The Thief is being adapted for Disney+, but they don't confirm if it's a TV show or a film. If I had to guess – and I guess I do, since I'm the one writing this – I'd say it's probably a movie, since the writer they brought in, Brian Duffield, seems to mostly write scripts for films. In any case, since The Thief is the first in a series of books, it's safe to say that Disney wants to create some sort of franchise here.

Published in 1996, Megan Whalen Turner's book follows Eugenides (Gen for short), a thief who claims he can steal anything. As the official synopsis states: "When his boasting lands him in prison and the king's magus invites him on a quest to steal a legendary object, he's in no position to refuse. The magus thinks he has the right tool for the job, but Gen has plans of his own." The book was followed by five sequels: The Queen of Attolia, The King of Attolia, A Conspiracy of Kings, Thick as Thieves, and Return of the Thief.

As the book jacket for a later edition of The Thief states:

This first book in series introduces one of the most charismatic and incorrigible characters of fiction, Eugenides the thief. The Queen's Thief novels are rich with political machinations and intrigue, battles lost and won, dangerous journeys, divine intervention, power, passion, revenge, and deception. Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Marie Lu, Patrick Rothfuss, and George R. R. Martin.

If there's one thing kids love, it's political machinations and intrigue! The fact that there's a whole series of books here gives Disney room to launch a franchise, be it in the form of a TV show or a series of films. Jim Whitaker, a Disney producer with credits that include Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made and Pete's Dragon, is on board to produce the adaptation.