Given the current quest by all the studios to nail down the next big young adult book series as a possible source material for movies, it’s no surprise to see Sony targeting Michael Grant and his Shadow Gang organisation. The author has been behind popular books such as Gone and sold the first of his new trilogy, BZRK, to the studio last autumn. Now Michael Arlen Ross is aboard to adapt it for Sam Raimi to produce.
BZRK takes place in a world where gifted teenagers control biological nanobot robot warriors. They’re a necessary part of life, as they have to combat the threat from a similar group of biotech ‘bots controlled by conjoined twins who have been busy brainwashing world leaders.
It all sounds like it could make for an intriguing story, and the trilogy aspect means there’s material for more movies if the first one hits.
Ross, who switched from editing to writing to pen the script for 2006’s Turistas, has worked on several other projects still making their way through development hell, including a futuristic take on Robin Hood and the remake of Near Dark.