Xiran Jay Zhao’s YA sci-fi novel Iron Widow getting a movie adaptation

We’re living in a golden age of science fiction and fantasy adaptations, and it’s about to get even better. Variety reports that Xiran Jay Zhao’s young adult science fiction novel Iron Widow has been tapped to become a new movie franchise.

Iron Widow is Zhao’s debut novel, and has made serious waves since its release in September 2021. The book has spent 41 weeks so far on the New York Times bestseller list, thanks in part to an enormous grass roots marketing effort from TikTok’s “BookTok” community as well as Zhao themself, who is an active YouTuber whose channel discusses Chinese history and popular media. It has also won several awards including the 2021 BSFA Award for best book for younger readers, and was nominated for the Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction.

The studio that has acquired the rights to adapt Iron Widow is Picturestart, which is headed by former Lionsgate co-president Erik Feig. While at Lionsgate, Feig had a hand in bringing some of the biggest young adult fantasy and sci-fi films of the past few decades to the big screen, including The Hunger Games, Twilight, and Divergent. He will serve as a producer on Iron Widow, with J.C. Lee (Bad Genius) penning the script.

Xiran Jay Zhao reacts to Iron Widow adaptation

“I’ve gotten a small glimpse of the script by JC Lee and I am SO STOKED!!” Zhao wrote on Twitter. “I cannot thank the book community enough for all the love and support you’ve given Iron Widow since its first announcement. It was such a word-of-mouth success, beyond even the boldest fantasies I had as a cringe novice writer.”

Iron Widow has been marketed as a mix between Pacific Rim and The Handmaid’s Tale, with influences from Chinese history. Set in the world Huaxia, the story revolves around giant robots called Chrysalises, which are piloted by a male and female pair of pilots to fight off mecha aliens. However, the female pilots often die because of the mental strain, with their energy being siphoned off by their male counterparts.

Into this misogynistic system comes 18-year-old Zetian, who offers herself up as a “concubine-pilot” in order to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister’s death. But when Zetian’s revenge comes in the unexpected form of her draining her co-pilot instead of the reverse, she’s branded an “Iron Widow,” who for some unknown reason can cause the skewed system to work in reverse. She’s marked as a danger to her society, but may in truth hold the key to humanity’s survival.

Zhao is hard at work on the second book in the series, and has since released another novel in a different series called Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor. They promised their fans that they will be working “very closely” with the production team on the film.

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