Category Archives: Optioned Books

Gavin O’Connor to Helm Tell No One Adaptation

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“Tell No One,” the 2006 novel written by Harlan Coben, has found its director. Gavin O’Connor has signed on to helm the project from Universal and Warner Bros. The film is a remake of both the recent French thriller and the original novel. The new film version, which features a script by Chris Terrio.

“Tell No One” is a story of loss and redemption. It begins innocently enough. Dr. David Beck and his beloved wife, Elizabeth, are celebrating the anniversary of their first kiss in the quiet of Lake Charmaine. They grew up together, first kissed at age twelve, and now, twenty-five years old and married less than a year, they return for an idyllic weekend away.

Tragedy shatters their solitude. Elizabeth is abducted and murdered, her body found in a ditch. Her killer is caught and brought to justice. But for David Beck, there can be no closure. Eight years pass. He never gets over Elizabeth’s murder. He loses himself in his work as an inner city pediatrician.

But everything changes on the eighth anniversary of Elizabeth’s death. Two unidentified bodies are found at Lake Charmaine, unearthed years after their deaths. But even more disturbing, Beck gets a bizarre email that mentions a specific phrase – a phrase known only to him and Elizabeth. The email also tells him to click a hyperlink the next day at a specific hour – “kiss time” – 6:15PM.

There is no word yet on any actors being eyed for the lead roles or an anticipated production or release date.

John Krokidas Signs Up for Standard Happiness Package

krok__131125224922According to Deadline, John Krokidas, the writer and director behind the critically praised film, Kill Your Darlings, has taken on a new project at Fox Searchlight entitled, Standard Happiness Package. The film is based on the short story from Charles Yu called “Standard Loneliness Package.” The story was the opening short story to his 2012 anthology “Sorry Please Thank You.”

The tale is set in the near future, where a recent college graduate gets an entry-level job at a tech company where he’s paid to experience painful events in other people’s lives. He falls desperately in love with his boss, and tries to build a genuine relationship in a society that’s becoming entirely virtual and where he essentially serves as a human pain cushion.You can read “Standard Loneliness Package” in its entirety at Lightspeed Magazine.

Standard Happiness Package was scripted by Keith Bunin. Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey will produce the film through Temple Hill Entertainment. The outlet also reports that Krokidas is set to rewrite Fox 2000’s modern thriller Highrise with his writing partner Austin Bunn. The original screenplay hails from Flightplan scribe Peter Dowling.

There is no word yet on an anticipated release date for the feature film. The studio has also not announced who they are eyeing for the cast.

Terry Gilliam Is Attempting The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (Again)

 

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It feels like Terry Gilliam has been attempting to make The Man Who Killed Don Quixote for years now. Is now finally the time? During a recent interview following the festival-opening screening of the director’s latest release, The Zero Theorem, Gilliam spoke about his plans to begin work on his long-awaited Miguel de Cervantes adaptation.

Gilliam first began the project in 2000 with Jean Rochefort as Quixote and Johnny Depp in the role of Sancho Panza. Unfortunately, the shoot met with dilemma after dilemma and was never finished, although the behind-the-scenes of the troubled production did end up becoming a feature-length documentary, Lost in La Mancha, in 2002. Other attempts at bringing the project to the big screen have involved Robert Duvall as Quixote and Ewan McGregor as the Sancho Panza.

Now, nearly 14 years later, he is trying it again.

“I’m going to try to do ‘Don Quixote’ again. I think this is the seventh time. Lucky seven, maybe. We’ll see if it happens. This is kind of my default position, going back to that. I actually just want to make it and get rid of it. Get it out of my life,” said Gilliam.

There is currently no word as to which cast members might be involved this time around, but Gilliam seems cautiously optimistic that he might finally bring his impossible dream to life.

Telltale Reportedly Developing Game of Thrones Video Game

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Telltale Games, the company behind the hugely successful “Walking Dead” video games series is reportedly developing a new game based on everyone’s favorite fantasy series, “Game of Thrones.” IGN has reported that they have heard from multiple sources that the developer is working on the game adaptation.

However, it is not currently known whether the game would be based on the HBO series or the source material, “A Song of Ice and Fire,” by George R.R. Martin.

When asked, Telltale Games responded simply,

“We get these sorts of rumors about what we could be working on next cropping up all the time. Officially we have no comment.”

If anyone is going to make a “Game of Thrones” video game, I would want Telltale to be one of the developers. If it is anything like the “Walking Dead” season games it would be massively successful and masterfully well done (I am assuming, of course.) What we don’t need is another fuck up like the last “Game of Thrones” video game that failed both in the eyes of critics and fans.

The HBO series is based on the novels from “A Song of Ice and Fire” written by Martin. He began the first volume of the series, A Game of Thrones, in 1991. He published it in 1996. Martin gradually extended his originally intended trilogy to seven volumes, the fifth of which, A Dance with Dragons, took him five years to write before its publication in 2011. Martin’s work on his sixth, The Winds of Winter, is still underway.

LEGO The Hobbit Videogame Officially Announced for 2014

legohobbitgame2Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, TT Games and The LEGO Group have officially announced the next installment in the LEGO video game franchise. “LEGO The Hobbit” will adapt the legendary tale from the book by J.R.R. Tolkien and Oscar-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit Trilogy.”

The game will be based on the first two films of “The Hobbit Trilogy,” The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and the upcoming The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug, a production of New Line Cinema and MGM, opening worldwide beginning December 13, 2013. Following the storyline of the first two films, “LEGO The Hobbit” will take players on quests throughout Middle-earth, joining Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf the Grey, and Thorin Oakenshield and Company in their exciting adventures toward the Dwarven Kingdom of Erebor.

Players will be able to take on the form of their favorite Hobbit characters, including Bilbo, Gandalf, and all of the Dwarves: Thorin, Fíli, Kíli, Óin, Glóin, Dwalin, Balin Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Dori, Nori and Ori. Each has his own special – and quite hilarious – ability: For instance, Bombur can be used as a trampoline that enables his companions “belly-bounce” out of danger! Players will visit key locations from the films, including Bag End, Bilbo’s Hobbit-hole in Hobbiton, trek through the treacherous High Pass over The Misty Mountains, and explore the depths of Goblin-town, Mirkwood and Rivendell. Along the way, players will solve countless puzzles, partake in Treasure Quests and battle with Orcs, Trolls and fouler things. They will also be able to mine for gems, discover loot from enemies, and craft powerful magical items or build immense new LEGO structures.

Tom Stone, Managing Director, TT Games, said,

“We are thrilled to depict the characters and environments of Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth in LEGO form with the ‘LEGO The Hobbit’ video game. Our family-friendly take on these thrilling adventures will have kids and parents playing and laughing together as they build and explore in LEGO Middle-earth.”

“LEGO The Hobbit” will be available in 2014 for the Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PlayStation, Vita, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, as well as Windows PC and Mac.

Christopher McQuarrie Plans Three to Kill with Colin Firth

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According to a report from Deadline, Christopher McQuarrie is planning to adapt the novel, “Three to Kill” written by Jean-Patrick Machette. It also appeared the Colin Firth is attached to headline the project. Andrew Lauren Productions is financing the adaptation of Three to Kill with Lauren himself producing alongside Laura Bickford. Howard Rodman will provide the screenplay.

“Three to Kill” is a french novel that was published in the United States by City Lights Noir with a translation by Donald Nicholson Smith. It is officially described as follows:

Businessman Georges Gerfaut witnesses a murder-and is pursued by the killers. His conventional life knocked off the rails, Gerfaut turns the tables and sets out to track down his pursuers. Along the way, he learns a thing or two about himself…. Manchette-masterful stylist, ironist, and social critic-limns the cramped lives of professionals in a neo-conservative world.

McQuarrie is most known as  the screenwriter-turned-director behind The Way of the GunJack Reacher and the upcoming Mission: Impossible 5. 

This is not the first novel from Machette that is getting a film adaptation. His novel, “The Prone Gunman” was adapted by Pierre Morel and stars Sean Penn, Javier Bardem, Idris Elba and Ray Winstone.

There is no word yet on an anticipated release date.

“The Space Vampires” Adaptation Heads to the Small Screen as “Lifeforce”

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The 1976 Colin Wilson novel, “The Space Vampires” is heading to the small screen. Ringleader Studios announced plans to re-adapt the novel after securing the rights. The studio also plans to use the title of Tobe Hooper’s 1985 cult classic for an ongoing series and other related media tie-ins including a video game and a graphic novel.

“The Space Vampires” is set  in the late 21st century and follows an Earth spacecraft, the Hermes, that uncovers a massive derelict craft filled with bat creatures and three humanoids in suspended animation. When the Hermes’ crew brings the bodies back to Earth, they accidentally awaken an evil force intent on stealing the life-force energy of the entire planet.

The titular space aliens are energy vampires, as opposed to the familiar stereotypical blood-sucking Earth vampires that suck blood and change into bats. They consume the “life force” by seducing living beings with a deadly kiss and also have the ability to take control of the willing host bodies of their victims. Though initially the aliens’ “true” form appears to be a bat-like creature, the creatures are ultimately revealed to be insubstantial energy-beings from a higher dimension.

The novel was originally adapted into a film in 1985 that starred Steve Railsback and Mathilda May. Despite being a failure at the 1985 box office, the film has achieved a cult popularity today.

Steve Harris is attached to executive produce the new series. There is no word on when “Lifeforce” will premiere or which network is being looked at as a vehicle.

“Preacher” Adaptation To Become AMC Series?

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It has been an unfortunately long journey for the television adaptation of the comic book series, “Preacher.” And the saga continues. The comic, which was created by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon, is reportedly heading to AMC and may already have a pilot order.

“Preacher” tells the story of a down-and-out Texas preacher possessed by Genesis, a supernatural entity conceived by the unnatural coupling of an angel and a demon. Given immense powers, the preacher, teamed with an old girlfriend and a hard-drinking Irish vampire, set out on a journey across America to find God — who apparently had abandoned his duties in heaven — and hold him accountable for his negligence.

Development for a “Preacher” adaptation has been rocky and unstable. Originally it was going to be made into a HBO series but after four years in development it was dropped. DJ Caruso was previously attached to direct when the project was in development to become a film, but that was also apparently dropped. Whether Caruso is still attached is unknown.

AMC has not confirmed the project though given how popular their other comic book based series are doing on the network, it is not impossible to assume they have a hand in the highly anticipated project.

No names have been confirmed for the project but the site, Badass Digest, reports that the ones attached are “big and impressive.” However, Seth Rogan took to Twitter after the story broke to say this:

“Arseface. John Wayne, The Saint of Killers.”

These are three main characters from “Preacher.” So how is Rogen involved with this attempt to bring the Vertigo comic to television. His role in the project remains unconfirmed.

IDW and Michael Chiklis Developing TV Series Based on Comic Book Pantheon

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According to a report from Deadline, IDW Entertainment is planning on adapting a comic book from Michael Chiklis for television. The show will be based on the comic series called “Pantheon” which was originally created by Chiklis, Anny Simon Beck and Marc Andreyko and published in 2010.

The series pits Zeus’s fellow gods against the Titans in an epic battle of good versus evil, and father versus son. Breaking the golden rule of Greek mythology – to never reveal themselves – the gods Zeus, Aphrodite, Pandora, Cronus, Prometheus and Jason return to their timeless battles, as Armageddon nears.

“Pantheon” will be developed internally at IDW with Circle of Confusion co-producing and overseeing packaging and creative. The two companies will then shop the project around to networks, but for now the search is on for a showrunner to co-create the series along with Chiklis.

The television adaptation of “Pantheon” joins fellow greek-myth-based-comic book “Headache” on the small screen. Fox is developing Lisa Joy’s graphic novel as a drama titled “Athena.”

There is currently no word on who is being eyed for the lead roles in the adaptation or an anticipated premiere date. Those decisions will like be made after a network decides to pick up the project and green light a pilot episode.

Guillermo del Toro’s “The Strain” Ordered to Series by FX

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I am so overly excited for this. FX has ordered a 13-episode season for Guillermo del Toro’s “The Strain.” “The Strain” is based on a vampire novel trilogy of the same name penned by del Toro and Chuck Hogan. Del Toro and Hogan co-wrote the pilot for the TV project, with del Toro also helming.

“The Strain” is billed as a high concept thriller that tells the story of Dr. Ephraim Goodweather, the head of the Center for Disease Control Canary Team in New York City.  He and his team are called upon to investigate a mysterious viral outbreak with hallmarks of an ancient and evil strain of vampirism.  As the strain spreads, Eph, his team, and an assembly of everyday New Yorkers, wage war for the fate of humanity itself.

“‘The Strain’ books are near and dear to my heart and now, Chuck and I have the blessing of a partnership with Carlton and FX that holds great promise,” said del Toro.  “Working with FX has yielded an amazing experience with total creative freedom and support.”

Carlton Cuse is serving as showrunner and scribe on the series, which is being produced by FX Prods. Corey Stoll (who recently starred in “House of Cards”) is headlining the series as Goodweather. Other cast members include Mia Maestro, Sean Astin and Kevin Durand. “The Strain” will begin lensing in Toronto later this month.

“The Strain” will premiere in 2014.