Luke Sparke, director of the sci-fi actioner Occupation, is set to write and direct an adaptation of Ethan Pettus’ Primitive War sci-fi military book series as a sci-fi horror pic.
Sparke Films has secured the rights to Primitive War: Opiate Undertow, the debut novel by Pettus. The book-to-screen adaptation, with the working title Primitive War, is in active development as casting gets underway and a production start is set for later this year.
Set in Vietnam in 1968, the Primitive War movie will follow a search and rescue team known as Vulture Squad sent to an isolated jungle valley to reveal the fate of a missing Green Beret platoon. As they hunt through the primordial depths of the valley and the casualties mount, the Vulture Squad members must embrace their savage instincts to survive the horrors they face, including the ultimate Apex predators, dinosaurs.
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“Dinosaurs in the Vietnam war? What’s not to love about that concept?! When I first heard about the books, I loved the ideas and concepts Ethan brought into them, and we’re shaping our film version into an exciting survival-horror film,” Sparke said in a statement.
The Primitive War historical sci-fi military novel series includes Primitive War II: Animus Infernal and the upcoming third installment Primitive War III: Aeon Ouroboros. “It’s a dream come true. Primitive War is a story that’s larger than life, and I think Luke and his team can make it into a cinematic masterpiece,” Pettus said in his own statement.
Carly Imrie, Zachary Garred and Carmel Imrie will produce the Primitive War film as they reteam with Sparke after Occupation: Rainfall, the franchise sequel that follows a group of survivors in Sydney fighting a desperate war two years after an extraterrestrial invasion.
Saban Films released Occupation: Rainfall in the U.S. market. Luke Sparke is repped by Seth Nagel at 5X Media.
