Kennedy Ryan’s ‘Before I Let Go’ Adaptation Lands Series Order At Peacock

A series adaptation of romance author Kennedy Ryan’s Before I Let Go has been in the works at Peacock for over three years. Today, the project received a series order from the NBCUniversal streamer.

Deadline broke the news in 2023 that the book would be adapted into a series with exec producers including Malcolm D. Lee, Dominique Telson, John Legend, Mike Jackson and Debra Martin Chase

The series will now be written by From Scratch co-creators Attica Locke and Tembi Locke, who will serve as showrunners, Ryan and Lee. This comes after Ryan and Lee created the series and co-wrote the pilot.

It will be produced by Universal Global Television and Universal Television.

Before I Let Go follows Yasmen and Josiah Wade. Their love was supposed to last forever, but when life dealt them back-to-back devastating blows, they realized love can’t solve everything. The life they created fell apart — divorce and shared custody followed. Now, Yasmen is finally starting to find joy, but proximity to Josiah keeps the embers hot despite reopening old wounds. They are beginning to wonder if they’re truly ready to let go of everything they once had. Is it too late to find forever? Or could the second time around be even better?

Attica Locke, Tembi Locke, Kennedy Ryan, Malcolm D. Lee, who also directs, Dominique Telson, Mike Jackson, John Legend and Debra Martin Chase exec produce.

Tembi Locke and her sister Attica turned Tembi’s memoir From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home into a series for Netflix. She is also an actor who has appeared in series such as Never Have I Ever.

In addition to From Scratch, Attica Locke’s writing credits include When They See Us, Empire and Little Fires Everywhere. The pair have a first-look deal with Universal Television.

Kennedy Ryan, who also has a first-look deal with NBCU, has written over 20 books across seven series. Before I Let Go is part of the Skyland book series.

Malcolm D. Lee, who also has a first-look deal with Universal Television, has directed The Best Man franchise, Girls Trip, Space Jam: A New Legacy and Peacock’s Strung. His production company is Blackmaled Productions.

John Legend runs Get Lifted Film Co. with Mike Jackson and are behind the Tony-winning musical Cats: The Jellicle Ball, La La Land and Netflix’s musical competition series Rhythm + Flow.

Debra Martin Chase, who also has a first-look deal with Universal Television, exec produced Being Mary Tyler Moore and The Equalizer and is currently in post-production on The Cheetah Girls: Next Gen feature.

“Getting the chance to bring the Skyland series to life onscreen is a dream come true. I’m excited about what this remarkable team is creating. Co-writing the pilot with Malcolm D. Lee and now imagining this world with Attica and Tembi is more than I even knew to ask for. These characters have meant so much to so many readers, and none of this would be possible without the people who have supported my work for years. I’m incredibly grateful and excited to find a new audience for these books that have changed my life,” said Ryan.

Attica Locke is repped by UTA, 3 Arts and Myman Greenspan; Tembi Locke is repped by UTA, 3 Arts and Yorn Levine; Kennedy Ryan is repped by CAA, Untitled Entertainment, BookEnds Literary Agency and Granderson Des Rochers; Malcolm D. Lee and Blackmaled Productions are repped by IAG and Del Shaw Moonves; Get Lifted Film Co. is repped by UTA and Del Shaw Moonves and Debra Martin Chase is repped by CAA and Del Shaw Moonves.