Anika Noni Rose acquires rights to ‘ShadowShaper’ Series + joins ‘Assassination Nation’

Posted by | Ray Cornelius

Tony winner and star of BET’s “The Quad” Anika Noni Rose is expanding her ever impressive resume by picking up a role in the new movie “Assassination Nation” as well as acquiring the TV and film rights to the “Shadowshaper” Series.

According to JustJared,  “Assassination Nation” follows four teenage girls in a small suburb who become the focus of unwanted, world-wide media attention after their personal information is leaked by an anonymous hacker. Rose will play the mother of the characters played by Abra and Suki Waterhouse. The film also stars Joel McHale, Bella Thorne, Bill Skarsgard, Cody Christian, Lukas Gage and my favorite new actor—Colman Domingo.

In addition to the role, Rose has also acquired the TV and  film rights to the “Shadowshaper” series. Playbill reports that the Broadway diva has optioned the Daniel José Older fantasy series through her production company— Roaring Virgin Productions.

“Shadowshaper” is centered on the Brooklynite character, Sierra Santiago, who discovers “shadowshaping,” a magic that infuses ancestral spirits into paintings, music, and stories. However, someone is killing the shadowshapers one by one—and the killer believes Sierra is hiding their greatest secret.

In a statement, Rose said, “Shadowshaper was a book I couldn’t put down. At a time when so many are feeling powerless, Sierra Santiago is a young Afro-Latina heroine who finds her power within herself. Through a strong spiritual connection to her ancestors, the discovery of the magic living in her art, and with the help of some amazing friends, she saves her family, and her Brooklyn neighborhood from certain destruction. A face and culture we rarely see on screen; she is the heroine we’ve been searching for, only to find she lives right next door.”

Look for Rose to appear in the upcoming film adaptation of “Everything, Everything,” which debuts in theaters nationwide on May 19.

Photo Credit: RayCornelius