Josh Silver’s critically acclaimed novel, Fruit Fly (2026), has been optioned for a new TV series by A24. The news was announced by the author and DEADLINE magazine. Writing on Instagram, Silver said: “It’s been a surreal few weeks – I’m incredibly grateful and very excited. Thanks to everyone [at A24].”
The novel, Fruit Fly, centres Mallory Maddox, a popular writer whose career is on the downturn following seven long years of writer’s block. Maddox may have hit on a bestseller though, when Leo enters the story. A young sex worker living under bridges and struggling to survive, Maddox sees a bestseller in Leo’s life story. ‘Go gay’, ‘Go sad’, ‘Go dark’, authenticity and real-life stories are what Maddox believes makes a bestselling book, and Leo is exactly what she needs to reignite her career. When secrets threaten to unravel more than just her career, Mallory must decide; how far will she go to write a hit novel?
Silver’s writing has received widespread critical acclaim after its publication in April 2026. The work is Silver’s first adult novel, following the YA dystopian début novel, HappyHead, its sequel, Dead Happy, and stand-alone novel, Traumaland. Fruit Fly is not the first of Silver’s works to be picked up for adaptation, with HappyHead getting optioned in 2023 by Taron Egerton and Range Media Partners.
Described as a darkly comedic novel that explores privilege, queer identity, and societal obsession with authenticity, Fruit Fly has caught the attention of A24, an American independent entertainment company, specialising in film and television production. Among their past projects include: Everything Everywhere All at Once, Moonlight, Uncut Gems, Euphoria, and Pillion. The production company also recently optioned another LGBTQ+ novel in Alexis Hall’s Boyfriend Material.
