Scheduled to be published by Scholastic in May, the “Dark Life” young adult novel offers a futuristic tale on the newly residential ocean floor. Author Kat Falls, who daylights as a graduate screenwriting professor at Northwestern, pens the story which focuses on an underwater teenaged boy & surface-dwelling girl who partner together to expose a government conspiracy. After numerous natural catastrophes, residents of the earth begin taking up sanctuary on the ocean floor and children start to develop super powers in their new domain.
The Gotham Group claims rights to the ‘Dark Life’ manuscript after making a preemptive bid earlier this year but Disney and director Roger Zemeckis have their collective hands on the project, positioned to adapt the story to film & into a future family franchise. According to Variety, “Zemeckis, Jack Rapke and Steve Starkey will produce through ImageMovers with Jackie Levine shepherding the project for the shingle. Ellen Goldsmith-Vein and Lee Stollman will produce through Gotham.”
Partnering to create a ‘Dark Life’ film before the book even hits store shelves may seem risky on Disney’s part but the company has recently identified a need to tap into the science-fiction fantasy market, especially with young adult epics like Harry Potter ending soon. Gotham has plans for two books already in the series, making Disney’s sequel potential for the ‘Dark Life’ probable.
