Fox has picked up rights to the sci-fi book series known as the Fourth Realm Trilogy, written by reclusive author John Twelve Hawks, and has set "Watchmen" co-writer Alex Tse to adapt.
Gil Netter ("The Blind Side") and Andrew Tennenbaum ("The Bourne Identity") are producing.
The first book, titled "The Traveler" and published in 2006, is set in a U.S. society run by a secret organization seeking to control the population via constant observation. Seeking to rebel against these constraints are an almost-extinct group of people called Travelers, who can project their spirit into other dimensions, and their protectors, called Harlequins.
The inaugural tome centers on a reluctant Harlequin named Maya, who must protect two naive Traveler brothers.
The books were best-sellers and critically well-received, with comparisons to Dan Brown, "The Matrix" and "Star Wars" used to describe a series that explores the ideas of free will and public surveillance, secret societies and good vs. evil.
Helping to make the books a hit was the reclusive nature of the author. Hawks, not his real name, lives "off the grid," according to the series' publisher Random House, and neither his editor nor agent has ever met him. Hawks, seemingly intent on imitating some of his characters' lifestyles, communicates only via a voice scrambler and untraceable satellite phone, and during the book tour he used stand-ins.
Joe Regal is executive producing the adaptation, which at one point was set up at Universal with Kennedy/Marshall producing.
Tse has made his name in the sci-fi/fantasy realm. In addition to working on "Watchmen," Tse wrote an adaptation of the Japanese manga classic "Ninja Scroll" for Warners and an adaptation of Ray Bradbury's "The Illustrated Man" for Zach Snyder, also at Warners.
Tse is repped by CAA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
I think it's funny that in a comment thread for an article about how much Alan Moore hates movies made from his work people are suggesting Alan Moore comics to make into movies.I would love Fox (or some other studio) to try again with League. They tried to turn it into X-Men, which was a huge mistake. Maybe now that we've had more literate and mature comic book films, someone else will give it a try.
Posted by: 16gb compact flash | February 23, 2010 at 02:10 AM
I have seen the movie " Watchmen" 3-4 times. It is pretty good movie. Last night I read the book on which this movie is base. It is very good adaptation of book. I impressed with it.
Posted by: Watchmen soundtrack | April 08, 2010 at 04:50 AM
It's strange that anyone can make deals in Hollywood, book or otherwise, and yet remain unreachable while having a successful series of stories. Either Hollywood isn't trying to find Hawks or he is more elusive than a Wachowski. How does he get paid?
Posted by: Duder NME | April 13, 2010 at 08:21 AM