The Imitation Game's director Morten Tyldum is following his Alan Turing biopic with a rather different project - but also one with surprising connections. He's snapped up the screen rights to **William Wenton And The Luridium Thief, the kids' novel by Bobbie Peers that's expected to make waves at the Frankfurt Book Fair.
The Luridium Thief was published in Norway a few weeks ago, but has yet to make its way in translation to other territories (though plenty of deals are imminent). It involves a 12-year-old code-breaking genius (there's the Turing link) hiding out in Norway after a dramatic escape from London. But when his new identity is compromised, his dangerous past starts to catch up with him.
Tyldum grabbed the property through his production company Norse Code, and while Peers is himself a director (check out his 2006 Palme D'Or-winning short Sniffer below), Tyldum is developing it for his own CV. He'll also produce, alongside Norse Code's Janne Tyldum (Mrs Morten), Guri Neby and Morten Foss.