IM Global TV To Adapt Fantasy Novel ‘The Hike’ As Series Produced by David Goyer
IM Global Television has optioned Drew Magary’s fantasy novel The Hike to develop as a TV series. It will be executive produced by David S. Goyer will under his recently-signed first-look deal with IM Global TV, along with Kevin Turen. Magary will pen the TV adaptation.
Described by reviewers as Cormac McCarthy’s Alice in Wonderland, and The Phantom Tollbooth mixed with a game of Dungeons & Dragons, The Hike, published in August, is a blend of fantasy, folklore, and tropes from video games. The imaginative and absurdist adventure story centers around a family man who takes a walk into the woods of rural Pennsylvania, finding himself lost with only ‘The Path’ to guide him – a mysterious gauntlet populated by dog-faced men, sentient clouds of smoke, and a caustic talking crab that may be his only chance to getting back to his loved ones.
“Needless to say, this isn’t your typical fantasy adventure tale, said IM Global Television President Mark Stern. “As wild as it is, however, Drew’s ability to tap into deeply emotional themes makes this completely engrossing.”
Magary is the author of the praised novel The Postmortal, which was optioned as a feature film by Scott Derrickson (Sinister, Sinister 2), and the memoir Someone Could Get Hurt. He is also a correspondent for GQ and a columnist for Deadspin.
The Hike is Goyer’s third project in development at IM Global TV — a joint venture between IM Global, Tang Media Partners and Tencent Holdings — through his Phantom Four banner, joining sci-fi drama I, Rebel and seasonal anthology series Golden State (working title).
IM Global TV’s slate includes an adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle with Noah Hawley at FX; TNT pilot Time of Death with M. Night Shyamalan; music series Muscle Shoals executive produced by Johnny Depp and Christi Dembrowski’s Infinitum Nihil and Richard Branson’s Virgin Produced; true-life crime drama Patrolman P with director/exec producer Antoine Fuqua; and an adaptation of Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Darkover books at Amazon. A dozen other projects are in active development, including an adaptation of Ken Garing’s graphic novel Planetoid by Michael Sherman and Steve Desmond; the post-apocalyptic piece LD50 with Scott Dacko; the modern-noir crime drama Den of Thieves by Sebastian Gutierrez with Trigger Street producing; and the international co-production Glint with Muse Productions and ProSieben Sat 1.
ICM Partners brokered the rights deal on behalf of Waxman Leavell Literary Agency.
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