Hill 5.14, the Black female-led production company founded by Tobi Olujinmi, has optioned J.L. Seegars’ New Haven romance novel series for television adaptation. The deal marks the first literary option for the London-based scripted label since its launch in 2022.
The adaptation of the self-published titles Restore Me and Revive Me (Parts 1, 2, and 3) will be developed in collaboration with Sony Pictures Television and Eleventh Hour Films, as part of Hill 5.14’s ongoing first-look agreement with the two companies. A UK broadcaster is also attached, with further details to be announced.
The New Haven series gained viral traction on TikTok, garnering over 16 million views under related hashtags and becoming a standout in the BookTok community across 2024 and 2025. The novels trace the interwoven romantic lives of several couples over more than a decade, exploring themes of trauma, healing, and emotional recovery within a Black Southern community. For the television adaptation, the action will be relocated from its fictional South Carolina setting to the U.K.. Phoebe Okeowo, who worked on Amazon Prime’s book-to-series adaptation The Power (2023) will adapt the novels for the small screen.
“The moment we read Revive Me and Restore Me, we knew that this was a Hill 5.14 story,” said Olujinmi, noting that Seegars’ stories fit Hill 5.14’s creative mission of positioning itself as a home for diverse and distinctive stories. “Janil, through these beautiful characters, explores healing throughout, powerfully depicting what love looks like after trauma, healthy sex after violation.”
Seegars praised the partnership, noting Olujinmi and Okeowo’s evident enthusiasm for the material.
“From our first meeting, Tobi and Phoebe’s love for my characters and their world has been evident, and I have every confidence that passion will translate to the finished product,” she said in a statement.
In addition to Okeowo, Hill 5.14 has collaborated with such writers as Victoria Asare-Archer (Missing You) and Sex Education contributors Thara Poopla and Bella Heesom and has attracted onscreen talent including Weruche Opia (I May Destroy You), Adelayo Adebayo (The Responder) and Adjoa Andoh (Bridgerton), who also fronts the Hill 5.14-produced podcast Discover Me.
Under their deal with Hill 5.14, SPT-owned Eleventh Hour have a first-look option to co-develop and co-produce TV projects on the company’s slate, with SPT acting as the distributor for these projects.
Seegars is represented by Sugar23 and Laura Dail Literary Agency.
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