NEED TO KNOW
Author Jordan Harper chimes in on what’s better — his book or the 2025 film adaptation of She Rides Shotgun.
“The book’s a little bit better,” Harper tells PEOPLE. “It’s still an amazing movie, but you’re asking who’s more handsome; this kid that I have some relationship with or my first son.”
The 2018 Edgar Award-winning novel follows an 11-year-old girl and her father, who is fresh out of jail, fleeing the police after he steals a car to escape the wrath of a white supremacist gang. The suspenseful crime story, starring Carry On actor Taron Egerton, was adapted by Nick Rowland and will premiere on Aug. 1.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty
Harper, 49, shares that he initially tried writing a few screenplay drafts, but ultimately made the decision to step away from the creative process after Rowland signed on to direct the film.
“That’s the way to do it, let it become their thing” Harper says. “I’m so glad to be a part of this, but I want to say that Nick is the author of the film — not me.”
Harper tells PEOPLE he believes tone is the most important aspect in writing, despite the fact it doesn’t get talked about as nearly as much as the plot or the characters.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty
He adds that one of his favorite aspects of the new film is the soundtrack. Harper notes that as an author, while he can’t put music into his writing, the use of tone can have a similar effect in establishing the atmosphere of a novel.
“The robbery and chase scene has a song that is so electric, it gave me goosebumps,” Harper says. “It’s amazing what music can do to a movie, and this movie has great music.”
John Nacion/Variety via Getty
Harper shares that he enjoyed watching Rowland’s creative direction in the film adaptation of the novel, particularly his attention to detail on some of the less action-packed scenes.
“There’s several scenes that are pretty direct from the book that I really loved — especially the scene in the Trucker Church,” Harper said. “It’s really quite a moment that a lot of films would’ve said ‘we can lose that’.”
She Rides Shotgun hits theaters on Aug. 1 and the novel version is available now, wherever books are sold.
