Summit Signs Scribe for 'Divergent' Adaptation (Exclusive)

Summit Entertainment has set hot young scribe Evan Daugherty to adapt dystopian thriller Divergent, based on the young adult novel by 22-year-old author Veronica Roth.

FinePrint's Pouya Shabazian is producing the project with Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher via their Red Wagon banner.

Daugherty's writing credits include Universal's high profile Snow White and the Huntsman, starring Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth, and Shrapnel, directed by John McTiernan.

Roth's YA novel, published by HarperCollins imprint Katherine Tegen Books, hit the stands last month and quickly made the New York Times' bestseller list, where it remains.

Divergent has parallels to the book series Hunger Games, which is being made into a film series by Lionsgate.

In Roth's novel, society is divided into five factions that represent a particular virtue: Honesty, selflessness, bravery,  peacefulness or intelligence.

At the heart of the story is a 16-year-old girl who leaves her family for a rival faction, where she faces a brutal initiation, even as she keeps a secret that could lead to her death. But when unrest grows between the factions, she must decide whether to reveal her true self in order to save the ones she loves.

Summit president of production Erik Feig, vice president of production Gillian Bohrer and creative Jeyun Choi are overseeing the project for the company.

Daugherty is repped by UTA and FilmEngine.