The "Erin Brockovich" writer will tackle the franchise hopeful, which is being produced by Tobey Maguire's Material Pictures and GK Films.
Columbia Pictures has tapped Susannah Grant to adapt the YA sci-fi novel The 5th Wave.
Grant, who was nominated for an Oscar for her Erin Brockovich screenplay and is one of the studio's go-to script doctors for high-profile projects, will tackle Rick Yancey's first installment in a planned trilogy. The book, which was published May 7, has drawn comparisons to The Hunger Games because of its themes of teen romance set against the backdrop of a future in peril.
The story follows a 16-year-old heroine who survives an alien invasion only to search for her brother, who might have been abducted by human-looking extraterrestrials. The girl is helped by a boy who also might be an alien in disguise (OP: LOLLLLLLLLL).
The book has generated a great deal of hype in the run-up to its publication. Publisher Penguin reportedly plunked down $750,000 for the book's marketing campaign, which included a series of pricey trailers that ran before films like Man of Steel. The New York Times gave the book a rave review, calling it "wildly entertaining."
Tobey Maguire's Material Pictures and GK Films are producing the movie.
Andrea Giannetti and Hannah Minghella are shepherding the project for the studio.
Grant has adapted several books for the screen including The Soloist, Charlotte's Web and In Her Shoes. She also penned a draft of Fox 2000's untitled Beach Boys project, which the specialty label is developing. Her TV credits include CBS' A Gifted Man and Fox's long-running hit Party of Five.
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After waiting years—years! aaaaagh!—for things to move forward on the movie version of Ally Carter's "Heist Society" novels, we've now moved on to the "When it rains, it pours" portion of the YA adaptation news cycle: The Hollywood Reporter has some surprise, exciting dish on the Hollywood fate of Ally's other multi-book project, "Gallagher Girls"!
The newly formed Tonik Productions has snagged rights to the literary series in the hopes that it'll be a new multi-film franchise, featuring a web of sexy schoolgirl espionage so sleek and contemporary, it'll make James Bond look like a crotchety old dinosaur in a crusty tuxedo.
The "Gallagher Girls" story kicks off at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, where sophomore Cameron Ann Morgan is entering her fourth year of education. But this ain't no charm school, y'all: the Gallagher Academy is an elite institution for the training of young lady spies, with a direct line from its hallowed halls to the CIA's recruiting office. And while there's plenty of boarding-school drama and romantic subplots to contend with, the "Gallagher Girls" series is also all about hardcore lady empowerment, which the head honchos at Tonik say drew them to the series as a hot prospect for Hollywood.
With the news of the option still fresh, it'll be a while yet before we hear what's happening with the big-screen adaptation of our beloved Gallagher Girls...but like any good spy, we'll be keeping our ears to the ground and our eyes peeled for anything that looks suspiciously awesome.
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EXCLUSIVE: Screenwriter Amy Talkington has made a deal for her first novel with Soho Teen, the young adult imprint of Soho Press. The novel, Liv, Forever, will be published next March, and a film package is quickly being assembled that has Talkington attached to adapt and Offspring Entertainment producing. They will shop it to studios shortly. Talkington has a lot going on as a screenwriter, including scripting the Clay Weiner-directed Valley Girl at MGM, the Alex Timbers-directed Hotfuss at Disney and the Jonathan Levine-directed Under Cover at Lionsgate. The novel aspires to be Ghost for the Twilight generation. Liv Bloom is murdered shortly after arriving at a prestigious New England boarding school. Her spirit remains and with the help of two boys–one of whom she’s fallen for and the other she reluctantly is trusting–she tries to solve her own murder. Offspring’s Adam Shankman and Jennifer Gibgot and Matt Smith are producing along with Arlook Group’s Richard Arlook. Talkington worked with Offspring on Hotfuss, which has also been called the untitled Shakespeare musical. The author is repped by UTA and Arlook Group.
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OMG ONTD LOL