Publishers Weekly is reporting that “Joseph Delaney‘s The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch is headed for the silver screen.” Warner Bros. is turning the first volume of Delaney’s seven-book series into a feature film currently titled The Spook’s Apprentice (which is the book’s UK title). The film will be coproduced by Legendary Pictures. Kevin Lima (Enchanted) has been chosen to direct, and production is expected to start later this year.
HarperCollins’s Greenwillow Books published the book in 2005 in the US (in the UK, it was published by Random House).
HC’s description of the book is:
Capturing witches
Binding boggarts
Driving away ghosts
For years, Old Gregory has been the Spook for the county, ridding the local villages of evil. Now his time is coming to an end. But who will take over for him? Twenty-nine apprentices have tried—some floundered, some fled, some failed to stay alive.
Only Thomas Ward is left. He’s the last hope; the last apprentice.
Can Thomas succeed? Will he learn the difference between a benign witch and a malevolent one? Does the Spook’s warning against girls with pointy shoes include Alice? And what will happen if Thomas accidentally frees Mother Malkin, the most evil witch in the county…?