Anthony P. Jones thriller Sorrowful Mysteries heads to film development

Anthony P. Jones’ thriller Sorrowful Mysteries has been greenlit for movie development/production, bringing the Richmond author’s Vatican-and-conspiracy story closer to the screen. The move also spotlights Jones’ broader push for greater access for Black writers in mainstream thriller fiction.

Why it matters: - Sorrowful Mysteries is moving from manuscript to movie development/production, giving Anthony P. Jones a new platform after more than three decades of writing. - The project pushes a Black thriller author into a genre Jones says Black writers have long been discouraged from entering without changing their voices. - The film step could expand the audience for a story built around Vatican intrigue, ancient mysteries and religious conspiracy.

What happened: - Film development has been greenlit for Sorrowful Mysteries. - George Folsey Jr., a veteran Hollywood producer, described the manuscript as “The Da Vinci Code on steroids.” - The novel centers on George Addison, a former priest and professor pulled into a dangerous mystery. - The story moves through the Catholic Church, the Vatican, the Knights Templar and Oak Island.

The details: - Jones is based in Richmond, Virginia. - Jones has written 12 novels and five screenplays over more than 30 years. - Four of Jones’ novels have been published. - The author says he was once told an agent would be unlikely to sign him because Black writers were not viewed as thriller writers. - Jones was also encouraged to make his work “more urban” to improve his chances. - Jones refused and kept writing political intrigue, international conflict, murder, history, conspiracy, faith and moral-conflict stories. - Jones has raised representation and opportunity concerns with major publishing companies, including members of the Big Five. - Jones argues that representation should mean equal access to genres traditionally dominated by white authors, not only the publication of Black authors.

Between the lines: - Jones is casting Sorrowful Mysteries as more than a commercial project. - The novel’s path to film gives Jones a high-profile example of a Black author succeeding in mainstream thriller territory. - Jones sees the publishing industry as still working through the same kind of gatekeeping that once limited opportunities for Black comedians and athletes. - His goal is not to be the lone exception, but to help open the genre for more Black writers.

What's next: - Sorrowful Mysteries will move ahead in film development/production. - Jones said he plans to keep advocating for a literary landscape where Black writers can pursue the thriller genre without pressure to conform. - The project may serve as a proof point for Jones’ broader argument about who gets to define mainstream thriller fiction.

The bottom line: - Sorrowful Mysteries is no longer just a novel. For Jones, it is also a test case for creative freedom, representation and access in publishing and film.