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1408 and The Tomb director Mikael Håfström is set to direct the big screen adaptation of the fantasy adventure novel Tunnels for Relativity Media. About three years ago Splice director Vincenzo Natali was attached to direct the film, but that obviously didn't pan out.
The book series comes from Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams. They've completed five books in the series, with the sixth and final book being released this fall. You can bet that the studio is hoping this turns out to be a successful film franchise. The property was discovered by Barry Cunningham, who is the man credited with discovering Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling. Here's what he had to say in a statement,
Only a few times in my life have I felt that rush of imagination in a story that I know is going to sweep up an audience in its grip, 'Tunnels' made me believe in adventure, bravery and a new world.
It tells the story of Will, a 14-year-old boy driven by a fascination of the buried past, who is drawn into a subterranean world after his archaeologist father abruptly goes missing. This hidden civilization, beautiful and unforgiving, is dominated by a sinister, vicious race called the Styx, who have presided over generations of enslaved colonists. Here's another description...
Tunnels is a thrilling, epic fantasy adventure for all ages. Beneath the streets of London, two teenage boys discover an incredible, hidden underground world where a secret civilization has been desperately waiting for a hero to save them all. The deeper they go, the closer they get to unearthing an evil that could destroy the world above and put an end to the lives they once lived.
The script for the movie is being written by Andrew Lobel, and here's what Relativity's President Tucker Tooley had to say about it,
Andrew has written an incredible script and Mikael brings a creative and powerful vision to this project. The 'Tunnels' novels have proven to be one of the most immensely exciting adventure series in recent years and we can’t wait to translate that excitement to the big screen.
Producer Mark Canton added,
The originality of the book and its sequels, which uniquely combine the adventure of Indiana Jones with the magic of Narnia, along with its franchise potential, is what attracted Relativity, Neil, Danny and myself to 'Tunnels' and I'm delighted to be producing it with them. Having just finished 'The Tomb' with Mikael Hafstrom, I know first hand that he's the perfect person to direct this epic fantasy, and Andrew Lobel's script has captured every bit of the incredible world that Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams have created.
