Microdrama platform ReelShort has adapted New York Times bestselling author Monica Murphy’s dark academia novel Things I Wanted to Say into an original vertical series.
The show marks the first on-screen release of the Lancaster Prep series, an eight-book series that has amassed a huge following on BookTok. The trailer has been released.
The series centers on Whit Lancaster, played by Pablo Kestri, and Summer Savage, played by Kirby Ellwood, as they become entangled in a volatile dynamic of power and desire. Murphy’s original novel has garnered more than 14,000 reviews on Amazon since its publication.
“It was so exciting to see Whit and Summer’s story come to life in a new format, and we’re grateful that both long-time readers and new viewers will have the opportunity to experience these characters in a different way,” Murphy said.
ReelShort is operated by Crazy Maple Studio, a global content and distribution company founded in San Francisco in 2017 with offices in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, and China. The company was named to TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential Companies in 2024.
Joey Jia, founder and CEO of Crazy Maple Studio, challenged assumptions about how long the microdrama format can last. “The biggest misconception is that microdramas are limited to romance, low production values, or great one-off projects,” Jia told Variety at last week’s APOS conference.
“Vertical storytelling will be the most important channel for IP in the future,” Jia added.
Meanwhile, ReelShort is accelerating its expansion into Southeast Asia with a new strategic partnership with Philippine telecommunications giant Globe. The agreement comes just two months after ReelShort launched its first major Southeast Asia partnership with Thailand’s AIS to build a broader regional presence through communications and content collaboration.
“Things I Wanted to Say” will be available exclusively on ReelShort starting June 30th.
Watch the trailer here:
