20th Century Fox has tapped Will Widger to write a live-action adaptation of “Lumberjanes,” the Boom! Studios comic about five young female friends who battle supernatural forces at summer camp, TheWrap has learned.
“Lumberjanes” was created by three women — Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis and Noelle Stevenson, while Brooke A. Allen serves as illustrator. The story follows a group of girls spending the summer at a scout camp, where they encounter strange creatures and other supernatural phenomena.
Originally planned as a limited eight-part series, the comic quickly became an ongoing series following strong sales and critical acclaim. “Lumberjanes” was recently nominated for two Eisner Awards including Best New Series, and the winners will be determined during Comic-Con in July.
Boom! Studios executives Ross Richie and Stephen Christy will produce the “Lumberjanes” movie, while Adam Yoelin will co-produce. Fox executives Kira Goldberg and Ryan Jones will oversee on behalf of the studio, which sees “Lumberjanes” as a priority project.
Goldberg bought Widger’s take on the comic, and Fox’s Emma Watts signed off on the deal. The studio and producers are already thinking of female directors to target once the script is finished.
Widger gained notice throughout Hollywood for his 2014 Black List script “The Munchkin,” a noir thriller in the vein of “Chinatown” about a little person private eye who uncovers conspiracies involving “The Wizard of Oz.” He’s represented by Verve, Kaplan/Perrone and attorney Lawrence Kopeikin of Morris Yorn.