In the age when the ability to make your own short and get it out to a wider audience online is growing exponentially, it’s not surprising that more and more directors are getting gigs based on their efforts. Given the type of film big studios are looking to make money on, it’s also not surprising that they’re often handed adaptations of popular dystopian teen novels. Such is the case with Wes Ball, who has been tapped by Fox to make its version of James Dashner’s book The Maze Runner.
Though Catherine Hardwicke had been attached to direct, it would appear she’s now off the project and Ball is the new chosen one. Dashner’s tome is – try not to look surprised – the first in a planned trilogy and follows Thomas, who has his mind wiped and is sent into a colony of boys trapped in an enormous maze. He soon discovers it’s all part of a mysterious test and that he has a destiny to become one of the ‘maze runners’ who can lead them to freedom.
While Dashner had planned to write the script himself, Noah Oppenheim has actually produced the first draft.
Fox hired Ball in July based on the strength of his short film / trailer Ruin, an impressive extended chase sequence (check it out below). McG is aboard to produce it, with Ball making a deal to direct, co-writing the script with TS Nowlin.