Helen Hoang’s romance novel “The Kiss Quotient” is one step closer to the big screen. Two years after Lionsgate acquired the rights to the book, Deadline has confirmed Savion Einstein is penning the film adaptation and Kristin Burr is producing through her Burr! Productions shingle.
Published in 2018, “The Kiss Quotient” follows Stella Lane, a “brilliant econometrician on the autism spectrum, who knows everything about algorithms but finds the nuances of relationships terrifying and insurmountable,” the source details. “In an effort to grow comfortable with the idea of dating, she comes to a very logical conclusion: hiring a male escort. But as someone who thought math was the only thing that united the universe, Stella unexpectedly finds love and acceptance for being herself with the unlikeliest of partners.”
Hoang herself was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in 2016, and her experiences inspired “The Kiss Quotient.” She also explored autism and romance in her 2019 novel “The Bride Test.”
“We need more stories like ‘Kiss Quotient’ and more literary characters like Stella Lane. She is a true original and a true heroine and we need to celebrate and represent those on the autism spectrum. I look forward to adapting this wonderful novel and bringing Stella to life on screen,” Burr said.
French-language feature “Jumbo” and series “Everything’s Gonna Be Okay,” “The Good Doctor,” and “Atypical” are among the more recent screen projects that have been led or co-led by autistic characters.
Einstein’s first screenplay, “Superfecundation,” a rom-com about a woman who’s pregnant with two babies by two different men, is being produced by Elizabeth Banks’ Brownstone Productions. Her other credits include “The Longest Birthday,” a feature drama that’s in pre-production, and Quibi’s “Marriage Material.”
Burr’s upcoming slate includes Emma Stone-starrer “Cruella.” She counts “Dora and the Lost City of Gold” and “Christopher Robin” among her other credits.
