Amazon MGM Studios, United Artists and Heyday Films in Talks for A.F. Steadman's TimeLess

Amazon MGM Studios, United Artists and Heyday Films are in negotiations to preemptively acquire the film rights to "TimeLess," the first adult fantasy novel from A.F. Steadman, author of the best-selling "Skandar" series, according to Yahoo. The book is set to be published on March 11, 2027, and is the first installment in a sci-fi/fantasy trilogy.

Amazon MGM, UA and Heyday Pursue TimeLess Rights

United Artists' Scott Stuber and Nick Nesbitt will produce with Heyday Films' David Heyman and Jeffrey Clifford, and Steadman will executive produce. The project is the first film under Heyday's first-look film deal with the studio, and Annie McCreery, who brought in the book, will oversee it for United Artists.

Simon & Schuster acquired the trilogy in a three-book worldwide deal, with a coordinated rollout in the U.S., U.K. and Australia. The novel sparked bidding wars in 11 territories. Steadman's "Skandar" series was the biggest children's fiction debut launch in the U.K. in 20 years, with rights sold in 45 territories before publication and translations into 48 languages.

Amazon MGM Studios' Recent Moves

Amazon MGM Studios restructured its Business Affairs team in June 2026, dissolving the centralized function into three separate teams embedded within Film, TV, and International Originals, according to akta.pro company records. Dan Scharf departed and Mandy Schaffer, formerly of Netflix, and Craig Muhlrad were appointed to lead the new structure. In May 2026, the studio launched the GenAI Creators' Fund and Project Nara AI production platform at the AI on the Lot conference, greenlighting three animated series: Punky Duck, Love Diana Music Hunters and Cupcake & Friends.

Earlier Amazon MGM Studio Deals

Amazon MGM Studios has entered production on Kevin Bacon's horror film "Summoner," adding Daniel Ings and Stephanie Beatriz to the cast, Yahoo reported in October 2026. Planning officers in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead said the studio's Bray Studios redevelopment should be approved at a meeting on 22 October, the BBC reported in October 2026, with the plan including six new sound stages and a multi-storey car park. Sam Levinson signed an overall TV deal with Amazon MGM Studios in October 2026, making him exclusive to the studio and Prime Video for series development, Yahoo reported.

Heyday Films' Upcoming Releases

Heyman produced all eight "Harry Potter" films and the three "Fantastic Beasts" films, along with "Barbie," "Gravity," "Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood," "Paddington," "Paddington 2" and "Wonka." He is producing Amazon MGM's James Bond film and the "Harry Potter" series, which premieres on HBO Max Dec. 25. Taika Waititi's "Klara and the Sun," starring Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams, opens in theaters Oct. 23, and Luca Guadagnino's "Artificial," starring Andrew Garfield, opens Christmas Day.