MGM, 'Narnia' Producer Pick Up Rights to Russian Sci-Fi Novel 'Metro 2033' (Exclusive)

MGM has picked up the screen rights to Metro 2033, a Russian sci-fi novel by Dmitry Glukhovsky, setting F. Scott Frazier to pen the script.

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Mark Johnson, whose credits include The Chronicles of Narnia movies and Galaxy Quest, is producing via his Gran Via Productions.

The story is set in 2033, after a nuclear holocaust devastates Moscow and survivors head under ground. The focus is on a young survivor who is forced to go on a journey that will see him deal with mutants, soldiers of a Fourth Reich and political factions of various metro stations in order to reach above ground.

The book first appeared in Russian online in 2002 before being published in Russia as a novel in 2005. The best-selling book was translated into 35 languages, including English in 2010, the same year it was adapted into a video game made by 4A Games. A sequel to the video game is planned for 2013.

In Russia, Metro has become a 20 book series and Glukhovsky is now enlisting other countries to write their own Metro books.

Eugene Efuni and Marina Hall will also produce in some capacities. Mark Ceryak brought it into Grand Via.

Frazier is currently generating some heat as the writer of Line of Sight, an action project set up at Warner Bros. that has Bandito Brothers. Mike “Mouse” McCoy circling as a director and Silver Pictures producing. He also has Day One, a sci-fi project set up at Universal with Chris Morgan producing.

Frazier is repped by WME, H2F and McKuin Frankel.