Book-Based Syfy Projects Lead UCP Development Slate

Universal Cable Productions (UCP) has unveiled its new development slate, which includes adaptations of Maggie Stiefvater’s best-selling book series The Raven Cycle and Hugh Howey’s post-apocalyptic novel series Sand for Syfy.

“We’re passionate about genre at UCP and as our latest development slate shows, we continue to work with some of the industry’s most vibrant and imaginative talent to bring fans genre fare they can get behind,” said Jeff Wachtel, chief content officer at NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment and president of Universal Cable Productions. “What began with Battlestar Galactica has grown into a mainstay for UCP as the genre itself has exploded into the mainstream.”

The Raven Cycle includes four urban fantasy novels about a 17-year-old who becomes involved with a group of four privileged private school boys on a quest to find a source of mythical and mysterious power hidden deep in rural Virginia. Michael London of Groundswell Productions will executive produce alongside showrunner/writer Andrew Miller and Catherine Hardwicke.

Sand, an action drama set in a world devastated by ecological damage, is being co-produced with Imperative Entertainment. The book’s author, Hugh Howey, will executive produce, with the TV adaptation being handled by Gary Whitta. Tim Kring is also among the project’s exec producers.

UCP also announced that Welcome to Hitchcock, retelling Alfred Hitchcock tales, will be penned by Evan Spiliotopoulos. UCP is working with Vermilion Entertainment and 1492 Pictures/Ocean Blue Entertainment on the project. The company’s slate also features Sirens of Titan with Dan Harmon and Evan Katz. Adding to the development slate is an option on Lord of Light, based on the Hugo Award-winning science fantasy novel by Roger Zelazny.