HBO Max To Adapt Lev Rosen’s Coming-Of-Age Novel ‘Camp’ Into Film

HBO Max has always been confident that their platform will include content for all demographics. And now, it seems that they’re boosting up their young adult roster. According to Deadline, HBO Max has acquired the rights to author Lev Rosen’s upcoming YA novel Camp and will turn it into a feature film.

Set in the summer at Camp Outland, a camp for queer teens, the story follows sixteen-year-old Randy Kapplehoff. He loves spending time at the camp. It’s where he met his best friends. It’s where he takes to the stage in the big musical. And it’s where he fell for Hudson Aaronson-Lim – who’s only into straight-acting guys and barely knows not-at-all-straight-acting Randy even exists.

So, Randy reinvents himself over the summer as Del, a buff, masculine and on-the-market camper. Even if it means giving up show tunes, nail polish, and his unicorn bed sheets, he’s determined to get Hudson to fall for him. But as he and Hudson grow closer, Randy has to ask himself how much he is willing to change for love. And is it really love anyway, if Hudson doesn’t know who he truly is?

The book will be published on May 26 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in the U.S. Meanwhile, Penguin Random House Children’s will publish it on May 28 for readers in the UK.

The script for the Camp film will be written by Kit Williamson, the creator, director, and star of the Emmy-nominated LGBTQ series EastSiders. The show just recently debuted its fourth and last season on Netflix. Dan Jinks will serve as producer through his Dan Jinks Company. A couple of his producing credits include Best Picture Winner American Beauty, Milk, and Big Fish. 

“I found this book hilariously funny and also quite moving,” said Jinks in a statement. “It’s a gay teenage love story that has nothing to do with coming out. A book, and a movie, like this, would have meant the world to me when I was growing up. I’m thrilled that HBO Max jumped on board so enthusiastically.”

In a tweet, Rosen also expressed his gratitude towards Jinks and Williamson. “I’m deeply excited. @JinksDan has been amazing – came in with a vision and executed it and all the while very patiently explained to me how Hollywood works,” he tweeted. “@kitwilliamson and I have had really great conversations about queerness and he’s going to turn out an amazing script.”

Rosen has written books for all ages. His most recent work is Jack of Hearts, a young adult mystery that revolves around a teen sex advice columnist and his anonymous stalker. Alongside that, he also released The Memory Wall, a middle-grade novel set in a high-fantasy video game about twelve-year-old Nick Reeves.

You know how people do the thing where they tease good news but don’t tell you what it is for months or years later? I don’t do that. Here’s some news: https://t.co/QzfrQcqvb2

— Lev AC Rosen aka L.C. Rosen (@LevACRosen) May 18, 2020