'Harriet' director Kasi Lemmons to adapt World War II novel 'The Shadow King'

Harriet Filmmaker Kasi Lemmons is set to adapt Maaza Mengiste's World War II female soldiers novel The Shadow King for big screen.

Published in 2019, the fictional novel focuses on the Ethiopian women soldiers, left out of the historical record, who went to battle against Benito Mussolini's invading army in 1935 Ethiopia.

Atlas Entertainment is backing the project, reported Variety.

Maaza Mengiste's mesmerizing novel takes my breath away. The imagery is so rich and powerful and the characters so vividly drawn, it naturally lends itself to adaptation. I'm very honoured to be a part of bringing this brilliant book to the screen and I'm thrilled to be working with everyone at Atlas, Lemmons said.

The film will be produced by Charles Roven, Richard Suckle and executive produced b Stephanie Haymes-Roven and Atlas Entertainment's Curt Kanemoto.