For Immediate Release: MERIDIA BOOKS LAUNCHES SPEC OPS THRILLER RED ROVERS – WITH A FILM ALREADY IN DEVELOPMENT

Los Angeles, CA – September 11, 2025 – Meridia Books, the innovative publishing house dedicated to crafting high-quality fiction and nonfiction titles primed for adaptation into film and television, today announced the launch of Red Rovers, a pulse-pounding spec ops thriller by Leo Baker. The novel arrives with significant buzz, as a feature film adaptation is already in development, produced by John Schoenfelder through his company, Addictive Pictures. The script by Greg Russo is currently out to directors.

Greg Russo, the hot writer behind the 2021 blockbuster Mortal Kombat and upcoming projects like Death Note 2 and Space Invaders, has penned both the novel and its screenplay, blending high-stakes action with cutting-edge technology.

John Schoenfelder, a seasoned producer known for films such as Cargo (2017), Hold the Dark (2018), and the upcoming The Electric State (2025), brings his expertise in genre storytelling to the project through Addictive Pictures, the production company he co-runs with Russell Ackerman. Recently, Schoenfelder and Ackerman have also taken on roles as co-heads of Nocturna, Skydance’s horror label, but Red Rovers marks a thrilling expansion into action territory.  The novel is part of a co-publishing and licensing agreement with Schoenfelder and Ackerman’s NeoText.  

Meridia Books, which burst onto the scene earlier this year with a launch party announcing its mission to bridge literature and entertainment, is home to a growing library of adaptable IP. Existing titles include Buffalos by Creed Bratton (of The Office fame) and Nathan Edmondson, a historical tale of Buffalo soldiers; Flight 47 by Thomas Ray, a gripping mystery with adaptation potential; and the forthcoming Glitter by Serbian bestselling novelist Vladimir Đjukanović, a techno-thriller involving AI and geopolitics. The publisher has acquired over a dozen more titles for release in the coming months, spanning comedy, sci-fi, biography, and drama.

The story follows a Special Missions Unit operator who is recruited into a new spec ops unit that uses radical technology to fight global terror. It’s likened to Act of Valor meets The Fast and the Furious, delivering non-stop action, intricate plots, and themes of loyalty, innovation, and the human cost of warfare.

“Red Rovers is the kind of story that jumps off the page and onto the screen,” said Greg Russo. “I’m thrilled to partner with Meridia Books and John Schoenfelder to bring this high-octane world to life.”

Red Rovers is available for pre-order in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook formats at major retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and independent bookstores, and will be released September 30. For more information, visit meridiabooks.com or follow @meridiabooks on Instagram and X.

Full release:

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