Columbia Takes Flight With Patterson's MAXIMUM RIDE

By: Jarrod Sarafin
Date: Friday, August 08, 2008
Source: Variety

Columbia Pictures has acquired screen rights to Maximum Ride, the best-selling young adult novel series by James Patterson. The studio has hired Don Payne (Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, My Super Ex-Girlfriend) to write the script. Seaside Entertainment's Avi Arad, Ari Arad and Steven Paul will produce. Patterson will be executive producer. Arad has hopes that the treatment can hatch an original superhero franchise, with the elements of alienation and angst that resonate in those spandex-clad movie heroes.

Plot Concept: The protagonists are six children who have been genetically altered to be 98% human and 2% bird. The kids, who are bred to fly, escape a lab-rat existence and are then pursued by their scientist creators, who send a pack of part-human part-wolves called Erasers to hunt them down.

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Comments/Responses

Whiskeymovie • Aug 08, 2008, 02:32am •

Very cool. The books are a fun and easy read. It could make for a very interesting movie. Now, if they would only get to work on making an Odd Thomas movie. If they got a decent writer and director, that could be an amazing movie.

middlerealm • Aug 08, 2008, 03:54am •

Long time lurker here, thought it time I escaped the shadows. Anyway, I agree, this could be a very cool movie if done right. Loved the books.
And I'd love to see an Odd Thomas movie of the first book. Don't know if you've seen it Whiskey, but Koontz has an Odd webpage, with 4 webisodes bridging the gap tween Brother Odd and Odd Hours... its not too bad, kinda looks a bit fanflick-ish, but gives a taste of how a real Odd film could be!
http://oddthomas.deankoontz.com/index.php

wolfmanX • Aug 08, 2008, 04:53am •

Sounds pretty cool. It sounds like to being chased by a different type of werewolves. I want to see how this is going to turn out. I love Werewolf movies. Im not saying this is one. But anything that comes close to it is cool.

LittleNell • Aug 08, 2008, 06:37am •

I loved the Odd Thomas webisodes. I didn't realize until watching them that the story would make a great movie. Sole Survivor was great, but mostly they've trashed his stories when making them into films.

middlerealm • Aug 08, 2008, 07:19am •

Wolfman, that is exactly what they are, essentially werewolves, just made genetically rather than being bitten and going through the change. This is something that, if not handled well, could come off looking more stupid than cool!

fft5305 • Aug 08, 2008, 08:29am •

These books are purportedly for "young adults" but they're actually pretty kick ass. Excellent characters, great stories. I thoroughly enjoy them. Probably will be tough to do right, though. Maybe CG?

almostunbiased • Aug 08, 2008, 08:38am •

I'm starting to hate the word "angst".

That said, sounds ok if done well.

wolfmanX • Aug 08, 2008, 12:42pm •

Thanks for the info middlerealm. Well I do hope it comes out cool rather then stupid. Like I said before I love Werewolves.

WISEGUY562 • Aug 08, 2008, 01:44pm •

Love the concept. "If done well" goes without saying, that applies to everything.
Haven't read the books but it seems like thumbs up by all who read them. I'll wait for the movie. Hope it's live action.

Whiskeymovie • Aug 08, 2008, 09:13pm •

Thanks Middlerealm, that was very cool. I just started reading Odd Hours. I think the odd Thomas books are one of the best series in awhile.

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