Director Stephen Chbosky teams up with Netflix for A Thousand Boy Kisses adaptation

Netflix is adding A Thousand Boy Kisses to its library. This upcoming feature adaptation will be based on the romance novel of the same name by Tillie Cole, published by Bloom Books in 2016.

The news of this adaptation was confirmed by several media houses and even by the author, who shared the same on her Instagram via a post in which she wrote:

"I AM SCREAMING THAT I CAN FINALLY ANNOUNCE THIS!!!!! @netflix.Rune and Poppy are coming to @netflix!!!! Get the tissues ready!!!!. #athousandboykisses #netflix #movie #tilliecole."

Stephen Chbosky will direct the film. The film's script will be written by Liz Maccie, who will alter the original novel to fit the movie.

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A Thousand Boy Kisses: Everything you need to know

A Thousand Boy Kisses is a romance novel by British/Scottish author Tillie Cole. Tillie has been a best-selling author who has penned several novels like Sick Fux (2017), Sweet Rome (2014), All Your Kisses (2020), and more.

The plot of A Thousand Boy Kisses revolves around Poppy and Rune, who are neighbors from a very young age. When Poppy’s grandmother dies, she gives Poppy the task of receiving a thousand boy kisses. Rune wants to plant those thousand kisses on Poppy.

As they fall in love and things start falling into place, Rune has to move to Norway, and Poppy has her issues.

The official synopsis of the book, as per Good Reads, reads:

"One kiss lasts a moment. But a thousand kisses can last a lifetime. One boy. One girl. A bond that is forged in an instant and cherished for a decade. A bond that neither time nor distance can break. A bond that will last forever. Or so they believe."

It continues:

"When seventeen-year-old Rune Kristiansen returns from his native Norway to the sleepy town of Blossom Grove.....he has just one thing on his mind. When he discovers the truth, he finds that the greatest heartache is yet to come. A stand-alone young adult tearjerker romance, recommended for ages fourteen and up."

This best-selling book has also been recommended by celebrities like Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things). In a 2023 survey, Millie listed this novel as one of her favorites and said:

"The book that...…made me weep uncontrollably: A Thousand Boy Kisses. This is one of the saddest books I have ever read."

Stephen Chbosky will direct the upcoming film. Chbosky has been a part of similar projects previously, as he directed the 2012 film The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which was an adaptation of his 1999 novel of the same name. Chbosky has also been a part of Allegiant, which is a movie based on the Divergent book series by Veronica Roth.

However, there is no information about the cast or a tentative release date for A Thousand Boy Kisses. Reportedly, the movie will be produced by Hobie Films.

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Who is Tillie Cole?

Tilie Cole is the author of A Thousand Boy Kisses and several other bestselling novels. In 2023, Cole got into a TikTok controversy which was regarding her Hades Hangmen series of books.

The Hades Hangmen was a love story between a Mexican woman and a former KKK member. The series contained multiple novels, listed below:

• It Ain’t Me Babe (2014)
• Heart Recaptured (2014)
• Valentina’s Novella (2015)
• Souls Unfractured (2025)
• Deep Redemption (2016)
• Damnable Grace (2017)
• I Do, Babe (2017)
• Crux Untamed (2018)
• Beauty Found (2018)
• Darkness Embraced (2019)
• My Maddie (2020)

She removed the entire abovementioned series from the sale. There were complaints about the series being racist. Later, the author also apologized to her readers worldwide via an Instagram post.

Meanwhile, after the recent Netflix movie was announced, she expressed her excitement and thoughts about turning the book into a movie. Here is what she said via her Instagram stories:

"Guys I didn’t know that the announcement was coming out today …. Yes, it’s amazing …. a Thousand Boy Kisses is coming to Netflix….. I met Netflix …..And the best part is I’m executive producer…. books into movies are a bit of a split thing …..story is helpful for people who are dealing with a hard time ...The real essence of the book is translated to the movie...”

A sequel to A Thousand Boy Kisses, titled A Thousand Broken Pieces, is also incoming, as announced by Cole herself. She took to Instagram and shared the good news with her fans and readers. She said:

"SURPRISE!!! A THOUSAND BROKEN PIECES is coming your way June 25th 2024! The sequel to A Thousand Boy Kisses. Following Poppy’s younger sister, Savannah through her heavy journey through grief… and into the hopeful arms of love. 💖 Links in bio..."

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Stay tuned for more news and updates on A Thousand Boy Kisses.