Hill 5.14, the production company led by Tobi Olujinmi and focused on Black female leadership, has secured the rights to adapt J.L. Seegars’ “New Haven” romance novel series for television. This is the first literary option for the scripted label since its establishment in London in 2022.
The collaborative work between Sony Pictures Television, Eleventh Hour Films, and Hill 5.14 (under their existing first-look deal) will bring the self-published series “Restore Me” and “Revive Me” (Parts 1, 2, and 3) to life on screen. A British broadcasting network is also involved, with more information about this collaboration set to be revealed in due course.
In 2024 and 2025, the New Haven series took off on TikTok, racking up over 16 million views using relevant hashtags and making a big splash in the BookTok community. The books tell the intertwining love stories of multiple couples spanning more than a decade, delving into issues like trauma, healing, and emotional growth within a Black Southern community. For its TV adaptation, the story will be moved from its fictional South Carolina setting to the U.K.. Phoebe Okeowo, who worked on Amazon Prime’s book-to-series adaption of The Power (2023), is set to adapt these novels for television.
As soon as we started reading ‘Revive Me’ and ‘Restore Me’, it was clear to us that this was a Hill 5.14 tale,” remarked Olujinmi, pointing out that Seegars’ stories align perfectly with Hill 5.14’s unique mission of providing a platform for varied and exceptional narratives. “Janil skillfully portrays healing in these captivating characters, presenting an authentic depiction of what love can become after hardship, and offering a realistic portrayal of post-traumatic sexual health.
Seegars commended the collaboration, pointing out that Olujinmi and Okeowo clearly showed excitement about the subject matter.
Right from our initial encounter, it’s clear that Tobi and Phoebe share a deep affection for my characters and their universe. I am convinced that this enthusiasm will shine through in the final outcome,” she stated.
Apart from Okeowo, Hill 5.14 has teamed up with authors like Victoria Asare-Archer (of the book “Missing You”) and contributors Thara Poopla and Bella Heesom from “Sex Education”. This collaboration has also drawn onscreen stars such as Weruche Opia known for “I May Destroy You”, Adelayo Adebayo from “The Responder” and Adjoa Andoh who is not only in “Bridgerton” but also hosts the Hill 5.14-produced podcast titled “Discover Me”.
Through an agreement with Hill 5.14, SPT-possessing studio Eleventh Hour is granted the initial opportunity to jointly create and produce television shows from SPT’s project lineup. In this arrangement, SPT serves as the distributor for these productions.
Seegars is represented by Sugar23 and Laura Dail Literary Agency.
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2025-07-16 11:24