Xiran Jay Zhao’s debut novel, Iron Widow, is smashing its way into theaters! According to Variety, the mecha anime-inspired story of revenge, love, and war has had its adaptation rights purchased by Picturestart. Zhao had some exciting things to say about the deal on their Twitter account!

Iron Widow takes place in Huaxia, a fictional world that is under constant threat of alien attacks. In order to combat them, humanity utilizes giant transforming robots called Chrysalises, which require both a boy and a girl to pilot. But it’s not a level team job to pilot a Chrysalis, as the girl pilots are much more likely to die in combat due to the boy pilots sucking their life force away. The heroine of the story is Zetian, who offers herself to become a “disposable female concubine-pilot.” But she has bigger plans, her goal is to find and kill the male pilot that drained the life from her sister. She ends up getting her revenge, but she is branded as the “Iron Widow,” a dangerous pilot and a great force to be reckoned with.

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Iron Widow is a reimagining of the life of the real Chinese empress Wu Zetian, who was a particularly fascinating individual for Zhao. Zetian faced similar struggles and rose to power through her own strength, will, and intellect. Zhao spoke with Publisher’s Weekly about what first drew them to Zetian’s story for their first novel.

A Giant World With Equally Giant Struggles

     Warner Bros. Pictures

Jessica Switch and Julia Hammer are signed on as producers, along with Picturestart’s Erik Feig. Signed on as executive producer is Samie Kim Falvey. J.C. Lee is signed on to pen the screenplay adaptation. Zhao admitted on their Twitter that they “don’t have the greatest faith in Hollywood” but have hope for the team behind the project.

The moment I decided to bring an influence from Chinese imperial harems into the story world, I knew I had to base the protagonist on Empress Regnant Wu. There’s no other woman in Chinese history who had a rise through the harem as iconic as hers, not only reaching the top rank of empress consort, but breaking through the barriers of the inner palace and becoming sole legitimate ruler of the empire herself. It’s been incredibly fun to reimagine her as instead a teenage peasant girl in an intensely misogynistic world who suddenly gains access to giant fighter mechas—how would she change her world? That’s what Iron Widow is all about.

Iron Widow rose to success from word of mouth on social media, particularly TikTok’s “BookTok” community. The book quickly rose to the bestseller list for 41 weeks. The book also went on to win the 2021 BSFA Award for best book for young readers, as well as earning the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award, and the Barnes & Noble Award for the Young Adult Category. Zhao has also released their second book, Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor, and is currently working on Iron Widow 2.