In 2012 The Hunger Games film kicked off a new phase of Young Adult book-to-film adaptations in Hollywood, crafting dark dystopian dramas with harder edges than the likes of Harry Potter or Percy Jackson. Amandla Stenberg made an immediate impression in the first Hunger Games as the young, innocent Rue, a mere child next to Katniss in the deadly arena — and now six years later she’s back as a teen lead in her own YA thriller The Darkest Minds.
Based on the book series by Alexandra Bracken, The Darkest Minds casts Stenberg as Ruby — a young woman who has survived a mysterious illness that’s wiped out most teens in America, and come out the other side with powerful abilities. After breaking out of government internment camp Thurmond, she sets off on the run with her fellow powered-up escapees, led by Liam (Beach Rats’ Harris Dickinson), to find the promised safe haven of East River. Take a look at two brand new exclusive images from the film.
The Darkest Minds is set for an August release this summer, and comes from Kung Fu Panda 2 and 3 director Jennifer Yuh Nelson, with the likes of Mandy Moore and Gwendoline Christie among the cast of grown-ups. Stay tuned for more from the upcoming YA dystopia soon.
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