Tonight, when you crack open your laptop with a sign and try to crank out a page or two of that novel or screenplay you’ve been working on since forever, try not to think about the fact that some people are getting movie development deals for novels they haven’t even written yet. Take for example Alma Katsu, author of three published fantasy novels, including 2011’s The Taker. 20th Century Fox just bought the film rights to her novel proposal for a theoretical book which will eventually be titled The Hunger, Deadline reports.
The not-yet-written novel, which inspired G.P. Putnam’s Sons to shell out six-figures for its publishing rights, was itself inspired by the 19th Century Donner Party tragedy involving starvation, cannibalism and a shit-ton of snow. Katsu’s interpretation will have “a Walking Dead-style twist,” according to Deadline, which is another way of saying that it will probably be yet another zombie-themed media product.
Assuming The Hunger is in fact ultimately realized in manuscript form, it should be published in early 2018. Its film adaptation will be written and directed by Luke Scott (whose upcoming feature debut Morgan is due out in September) for his father Ridley Scott’s Scott Free Productions.