Bill Lawrence and Warner Bros. Television have secured the rights to Steven Rowley's debut novel "Take Me With You," recently published by Putnam. The studio plans to develop the book into a television series, with Lawrence serving as executive producer on the project. No screenwriter has been attached yet.
Rowley's novel arrived in bookstores on May 19 under the Penguin Random House imprint Putnam. The speed of the option deal reflects the competitive appetite for literary properties in a streaming landscape hungry for prestige material. Lawrence's involvement signals Warner Bros. Television's confidence in the source material and his track record of shepherding character-driven stories to television. The producer behind "Scrubs," "Cougar Town," and the Apple TV+ series "Shrinking" has demonstrated an ability to translate intimate narratives into ensemble television that balances humor with emotional depth.
The project joins a crowded slate of literary adaptations in development across studios. Recent years have seen increased interest in debut authors and newly published novels as networks and streamers seek fresh intellectual property with built-in audiences. Rowley's work enters this arena alongside other recent publishing successes being adapted for the screen.
With no writer currently attached, the development phase will likely focus on identifying a voice capable of expanding Rowley's story across multiple seasons. The scope and thematic concerns of "Take Me With You" will determine whether this lands at a network, streaming platform, or cable channel. Lawrence's previous success in finding homes for ambitious projects at various outlets suggests flexibility in where this ultimately develops.
The option represents another instance of Hollywood's relentless hunt for novels published in real time, attempting to option books before their cultural moment fully crystallizes. For Rowley, it marks rapid validation of his debut work by one of television's most prolific producers.