'Uglies'
As they prepare "Eragon" for a Dec. 15 release, 20th Century Fox and producer John Davis have bought into another young adult fantasy book series with "Uglies," the Scott Westerfeld novel that hatches a trilogy.
Davis will produce with his wife, Jordan.
Futuristic tale taps into teen angst over conformity and acceptance. Kids are called "Uglies" until they reach 16 and get surgically transformed into the attractive "Pretties," who move to the glamorous part of town. A precocious teen is threatened with being denied the procedure unless she spies on a pal who skipped the operation and joined a rebellious group.Studio has bought the three-book series for a potential franchise. The second novel, "Pretties," is near the top of the young adult bestseller lists; the IPG-repped Westerfeld's third installment, "Specials," was also released this year.
The producers were plugged into the tale by their daughter, who read the book in school. Studio has begun the search for a scribe to adapt.
Contact the Variety newsroom at
news@variety.com