This is the second article I’ve written this week concerning a book being optioned before its completion. This is also the second article I’ve written this week concerning a book about alien/sci-fi teenagers assimilating into a human high school being optioned before its completion.
Michael Bay, who [insert extravagant wealth joke], spent part of today
attaching himself to Dreamwork’s latest acquisition; a science fiction
series to be written by James Frey and an unknown partner. Frey, known
primarily for pissing off Oprah*, apparently has plans for a six-part
series of novels called I Am Number Four. Hollywood Reporter describes the plot:
“The “Four” story line involves
nine alien teens assimilating to high school on Earth after their
planet is destroyed by an enemy species. The fourth of the group
discovers that the enemy is now after him on Earth.”
So, will I Am Number Four be the Armageddon to Go Mutant‘s Deep Impact?
This premise, and Bay’s involvement- mostly Bay’s involvement- were enough to convince a “high six-figure deal” (as Mike Fleming describes it) from Dreamworks. Bay apparently took it to his Transformers producing partners directly, and Spielberg and Stacey Snider signed off on it but quick.
Bay seems to have put some enthusiastic steam behind this project, but considering he can do
…the fuck he wants at this point, the odds of him jumping on this as
his next directing project seem slim. A producer’s chair however… far
more likely.
Bay has been very clear about his desire to do something of a
completely different scale. Let us hope he has better luck with his “small”
film than Lucas has.
*He killed someone in her family or some shit. I don’t know. Whatever.
Source | Variety, Hollywood Reporter