EXCLUSIVE: The Michael Crichton and James Patterson novel Eruption has been bought at auction by Sony in what we hear is a seven-figure deal after several circled.
The feature take of Eruption already has Oscar-winning Free Solo directors Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi attached to direct, and we understand that there have already been conversations with Keanu Reeves to star though no commitment.
Producers on the feature are Sherri Crichton for Crichton Sun, Patterson and Shane Salerno. Chin and Vasarhelyi will also produce.
Eruption, which Crichton spent 20 years writing before his death in 2008, follows a history-making volcano explosion which is about to wipe away the big island of Hawaii. However, a secret held for decades by the U.S. military is far more terrifying than any volcano.
The deal for Eruption was made by Salerno’s The Story Factory and CAA. The novel went out to buyers in early May as Deadline first reported. Sherri Crichton found her husband’s writing, notes and research and drafted Patterson to finish the book.
The novel debuted atop the lists of Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Apple. Crichton and Patterson have combined global book sales around 700 million. Crichton’s heavily-researched, science-grounded novels have been catnip to filmmakers and studios. From Jurassic Park to ER, Twister to Westworld, The Andromeda Strain and Disclosure, Crichton’s work has grossed over $10 billion.
The late Crichton’s work is seeing a revival of late: Universal and Warner Bros are about to release the sequel Twisters. The best-selling author produced and co-wrote the original 1996 blockbuster. In addition Universal and Amblin’s Jurassic World 4 based on Crichton’s characters is in production with Scarlett Johansson starring.
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