Charlie Human’s urban fantasy novel “Apocalypse Now Now” is being developed as a Canadian-South African production, Variety has learned exclusively.
Terri Tatchell, who received an Oscar nomination for the “District 9” script, has been tapped to adapt “Apocalypse Now Now.” Her credits include “Chappie.”
Canadian production house Redlab Digital, in collaboration with Los Angeles-based XYZ Films, has acquired all film rights to the novel. The movie will be produced by Nicholas Sorbara for Redlab Digital, Sean Drummond and Michael Matthews for South Africa-based Be Phat Motel, with Todd Brown from XYZ Films as executive producer. XYZ Films is handling global sales.
The novel centers on the kingpin of a smut-peddling high school who’s dating the girl of his dreams. After she’s kidnapped, he and a supernatural bounty hunter are plunged into the increasingly bizarre landscape of Cape Town’s underworld to save her while facing a brush with the Apocalypse.
“South Africa has always pushed through the usual limits of my imagination and ‘Apocalypse Now Now’ is no exception,” Tatchell said. “Charlie has actually upped the game and obliterated them all altogether.”
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XYZ Films is also handling sales for “I Kill Giants,” directed by Anders Walter, and produced by Chris Columbus, Treehouse Pictures, Man of Action Entertainment and XYZ. The banner is also repping the action-thriller “Pilgrimage,” starring Jon Bernthal, Richard Armitage and Tom Holland, and “Bushwick,” starring Jane Levy.
Redlab’s first project, “River,” directed by Jamie M. Dagg and starring Rossif Sutherland, was shot in Laos and is in post-production. Be Phat Motel Film’s credits include the sci-fi film “Sweetheart” and the upcoming “Five Fingers for Marseilles.”
