Universal Pictures, which has Jurassic World: Rebirth opening this week, is keeping the jungle monster action going with what could be a new sci-fi horror franchise.
Cynthia Erivo, who stars in the studio’s Wicked movies, has teamed up with Michael Bay and Brad Fuller of Platinum Dunes to adapt the sci-fi action thriller Saturation Point for Universal.
Minnie Schedeen will write the script, adapting the novel by Adrian Tchaikovsky, known as a master of British sci-fi and an Arthur C. Clarke and BSFA Award winner.
The 2024 book is part climate thriller in which the Earth has a zone so hot and humid it makes it hard for humans to survive. Naturally, into this zone must go our protagonist, Dr. Jasmine Marks, who leads a search and rescue mission and who will discover that the zone is far deadlier than initially believed. Not only that, her corporate bosses may not be telling the truth (shocker, right?) and not all forms of intelligent life in the zone are necessarily human.
Erivo will produce via her Edith’s Daughter banner, along with the shingle’s Solome Williams. The company has a first look deal with Universal.
Bay and Fuller will produce through Platinum Dunes’ first look with Universal. Alex Ginno will executive produce and oversee the project for Platinum Dunes.
Universal’s senior vp of production development Ryan Jones and director of production development Christine Sun will oversee the project for the studio.
Adrian Tchaikovsky, Minnie Schedeen, Michael Bay
Tom Pepperdine; Courtesy of Subject; Mat Hayward/Getty Images
Erivo is coming off of an Oscar nomination for portraying the green witch Elphaba in Wicked, which grossed almost $800 million worldwide while earning 10 Oscar nominations and two wins. She reprises the role for Wicked: For Good, which arrives in theaters on Nov. 21.
Horror and action are part of Platinum Dunes’ DNA. The banner was behind the hit A Quiet Place and The Purge franchises. Among other moneymakers are Ouija plus live-action takes on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Tchaikovsky, known for the fantasy series Children of Time, is repped by the Mic Cheetham Agency and UTA. Schedeen, who has projects set up at Amazon MGM and New Line, among other studios, is repped by UTA, Untitled and Ziffren Brittenham
