David Goyer finds HEAVEN'S SHADOW

By Matt Holmes /

Batman Begins and Dark City screenwriter David Goyer is becoming a very powerful figure at Warner Bros. Mike Fleming reports that the studio have struck a seven-figure deal for Goyer to adapt his forthcoming science fiction debut novel Heaven's Shadow (and it's two sequels) as a potential tentpole at their studio. The story, co-written by veteran sci-fi scribe Michael Cassutt (80's Twilight Zone series) is an alien invasion setup beginning with the Deep Impact revelation that a meteor is heading to Earth - before a competition between governments and nations ensues to be the first to intercept it. From there - an Independence Day encounter with an alien race that are a threat to the whole of humanity. Penguin imprint Ace Books are publishing Heaven's Shadow in July of next year, with Heaven's War and Heaven's Fall setup for the two subsequent summers. Goyer and Cassutt are still working on the prose but presumably novel two is The Two Towers of the trilogy - the all out war. Goyer has not yet made a deal to direct but I would make a bet that Cassutt has done the majority of the novel and Goyer will write the screenplay. Goyer on film right now: Batman 3 (which he co-concept'ed with Nolan and Nolan) is gearing up to cast, Superman: The Man of Steel (which he pitched to WB/Nolan) is being turned into a full length screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Goyer, Ghost Rider 2 (a years old screenplay that's been dusted off and revised) is in development at Sony. Meanwhile - The Invisible Man remake, and his Green Arrow movie (dubbed Super Max, as it would find the Robin Hood-esque hero locked in jail in act one) are stuck in development hell.