Warner Bros. Pictures has recently acquired the film rights to the novel, Unholy Night. The novel is the next in line of the historical revisionism fiction written by Seth Grahame-Smith. You might know Grahame-Smith because he is mind behind popular novels such as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.
Unholy Night will be released April 10, 2012 and Warner Bros. jumped at the opportunity to buy the rights for the novel due to the success of his other novels. Unholy Night is officially described as follows:
They’re an iconic part of history’s most celebrated birth. But what do we really know about the Three Kings of the Nativity, besides the fact that they followed a star to Bethlehem bearing strange gifts? The Bible has little to say about this enigmatic trio.
In Grahame-Smith’s telling, the so-called “Three Wise Men” are infamous thieves, led by the dark, murderous Balthazar. After a daring escape from Herod’s prison, they stumble upon the famous manger and its newborn king. The last thing Balthazar needs is to be slowed down by young Joseph, Mary and their infant. But when Herod’s men begin to slaughter the first born in Judea, he has no choice but to help them escape to Egypt.
It’s the beginning of an adventure that will see them fight the last magical creatures of the Old Testament; cross paths with biblical figures like Pontius Pilate and John the Baptist; and finally deliver them to Egypt. It may just be the greatest story never told.
His first novel was an unexpected success, landing on the New York Times Bestsellers list for several weeks and reaching #3. Grahame-Smith followed his first novel with Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was optioned by Lionsgate Entertainment, with Natalie Portman producing and starring, and David O. Russell adapting and directing. Grahame-Smith is also going to act as producer for the film.
Grahame-Smith is also adapting his new book, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, for the screen, for producers Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov. He has been chosen to write the script for Tim Burton’s gothic opera Dark Shadows, replacing longtime Burton scribe John August.
Warner Bros. must be highly anticipating this book being a hit. Considering it hasn’t even be released yet, but they bought the film rights for it, they must have confidence in its story. I don’t blame them. His first two books have been major hits with fans so I don’t see it not doing well. I bit preemptive on the part of Warner Bros., but it might end up being a great idea.