John Gore Studios Acquires Rights to Dame Susan Hill’s Works, Including The Woman in Black

John Gore Studios has acquired the rights to the works of Dame Susan Hill, author of the Gothic ghost story The Woman in Black. The studio plans to explore new film and television adaptations, as well as theater projects subject to existing rights agreements. Hill will remain involved in developing new projects and serve as an executive producer.

Published in 1983, The Woman in Black became a West End stage production that ran for 33 years. Tony winner Daniel Radcliffe starred in Hammer Films’ 2012 screen adaptation, which earned $127.7 million worldwide. John Gore Studios acquired Hammer in 2023.

“For any author, it’s heartening to see their stories continue to find new life,” Hill said in a statement to Variety. “John Gore Studios brings together a genuine respect for heritage with an understanding of how classic stories can reach new audiences, and Hammer has a long and distinguished place in the history of British gothic storytelling.”

Hill’s writing spans more than six decades and includes literary fiction, crime novels, children’s books, memoirs and radio dramas. Her novel, The Bird of Night, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1972. She has also received the Somerset Maugham Award and the Whitbread Novel Award.

“Susan Hill is one of Britain’s most distinctive literary voices, and it is a privilege to become a custodian of such an extraordinary body of work,” said Gore, founder and executive chairman of John Gore Studios. Gore is a 25-time Tony-winning producer and CEO of The John Gore Organization, whose companies include Broadway.com and Broadway Across America.

John Gore Studios Chief Operating Officer Anouska Spiers led the acquisition and will oversee management of Hill’s portfolio. Chief Creative Officer Francis Hopkinson and the studio’s creative team will oversee development.