Yes, it’s another movie project based on a dystopian YA novel series, but the talent involved is too good to ignore. Originally intended as a directing vehicle for Robert Zemeckis, Chaos Walking’s first screenplay was penned by Charlie Kaufman — yes, as in that Charlie Kaufman, the brilliant mind behind Anomalisa, Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. And now that Zemeckis is out, another exciting director has emerged to potentially replace him.

Variety reports that Edge of Tomorrow director Doug Liman is in talks to helm Chaos Walking for Lionsgate, which has been on the hunt for a new franchise to replace The Hunger Games. Jamie Linden delivered the most recent draft of the screenplay, which Kaufman originally adapted from The Knife of Never Letting Go, the first book in Patrick Ness’ Chaos Walking trilogy.

The story takes place in a dystopian future where all living things can hear each other’s thoughts, and centers on the lone boy in a town full of men, who discovers a shocking secret that sends him on a journey to find out who he really is. Here’s the official synopsis for Ness’ first book:

Todd Hewitt is the only boy in a town of men. Ever since the settlers were infected with the Noise germ, Todd can hear everything the men think, and they hear everything he thinks. Todd is just a month away from becoming a man, but in the midst of the cacophony, he knows that the town is hiding something from him -- something so awful Todd is forced to flee with only his dog, whose simple, loyal voice he hears too. With hostile men from the town in pursuit, the two stumble upon a strange and eerily silent creature: a girl. Who is she? Why wasn't she killed by the germ like all the females on New World? Propelled by Todd's gritty narration, readers are in for a white-knuckle journey in which a boy on the cusp of manhood must unlearn everything he knows in order to figure out who he truly is.

Liman recently wrapped Mena with Tom Cruise, which he’s following up with The Wall, a new action film for Amazon Studios starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson. He’s also still attached to helm Channing Tatum’s Gambit film, which was recently removed from Fox’s upcoming release schedule and has yet to receive a new date; last we heard, the script was being fine-tuned, and with most involved moving on to other projects, it may be a couple more years before that one comes together again.

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