THE APEX TIMES
Netflix moves to develop film adaptation of Ali Hazelwood’s new adult romance “Deep End,” with Shawn Levy and Alex Cooper producing
The streaming service secured rights in a pre-empt deal ahead of publication for a feature adaptation of Ali Hazelwood’s 2025 novel, a New York Times bestseller that follows a college romance built around competitive diving.
Netflix is developing a feature film adaptation of Ali Hazelwood’s new adult romance novel “Deep End,” according to an exclusive report from Deadline published on Aug. 5, 2026. The project pairs producer Shawn Levy and Alex Cooper, with Netflix launching the adaptation after obtaining rights ahead of the book’s release.
Deadline reports that Netflix “locked down” the film rights in a major pre-empt deal prior to publication, a sequence that typically indicates early studio-to-streaming commitments before a title has fully established its audience. The company’s development slate now includes converting the novel’s romance story into a screenplay and packaging the project for production.
“Deep End” was published in 2025 by Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House, according to Deadline. The book is described as an “instant #1” New York Times bestselling New Adult romance, reflecting rapid early sales momentum after release.
The novel’s premise centers on a college relationship between characters connected to competitive diving, setting the story within the rhythms and pressures of collegiate athletics. Deadline describes the material as a “steamy” new adult romance, with the plot framed around a competitive dynamic that draws the central pair together.
In addition to Netflix’s development, Deadline ties the project to Cooper as a producer and Levy as a producer, positioning both as key creative and business partners for the adaptation. The report does not provide casting, a production start date, or a target release window, and Netflix has not been described in the report as having advanced the project to production stage.
The rights and early development timeline outlined by Deadline is notable for how it affects downstream distribution of the franchise. When streaming services acquire film or series rights ahead of publication, it can change how publishers and authors coordinate marketing, given that early audience attention may now be paired with a long-form media pipeline.
Because the Deadline report describes the effort as “development,” the next steps would ordinarily include finalizing a script, securing additional production commitments, and confirming creative leadership beyond the producers named in the report. Until those details are public, the film remains an announced adaptation rather than a scheduled release.
Why It Matters
- Early pre-publication rights deals can reshape how book-to-screen marketing unfolds by locking a long-form media pipeline before the book’s full commercial footprint is established.
- The adaptation indicates continued investment by streaming platforms in romance properties that have demonstrated fast breakout sales with mainstream bestseller performance.
- For the publishing ecosystem, successful early traction on a title can increasingly translate into screen development plans that extend the audience lifecycle beyond the initial bookstore and ebook cycle.
- For readers, film development typically increases the likelihood of future promotional tie-ins, but no casting or release timeline was provided in the report, leaving the timetable uncertain.
Key Facts
- Netflix has launched development on a feature film adaptation of Ali Hazelwood’s romance novel “Deep End,” Deadline reported on Aug. 5, 2026.
- Deadline reports Netflix secured the adaptation rights in a major pre-empt deal prior to the book’s publication.
- “Deep End” was published in 2025 by Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House, according to Deadline.
- Deadline describes “Deep End” as an instant #1 New York Times bestselling New Adult romance.
- The film adaptation is being produced by Shawn Levy and Alex Cooper, per Deadline.
- Deadline characterizes the novel as a college romance centered on competitive diving and described as “steamy.”