According to the trades, Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald have secured their first title in their venture with Imagenation Abu Dhabi. The film will be titled Earthbound, and it is based on the book of the same name from author Richard Matheson.

Matheson is an author whose books have been turned into many popular movies over the years. Among his many works that were turned into films exists titles like The Incredible Shrinking Man, Somewhere in Time, Stir of Echoes, What Dreams May Come, and I Am Legend, which was also The Last Man on Earth and The Omega Man — all based on the books of Matheson. He even adapted some of the screenplays himself.

The story revolves around a married couple named David and Ellen who after 21 years are facing some complications in their relationship. This leads them to run away to a little cottage on the East Coast to try and remedy things. While there, David meets a young women named Marianna and begins an affair with her. Not good to begin with, this problem is only added to when he discovers that she is actually a ghost who begins to control both David and Ellen, taking what she desires.

Earthbound was actually initially published in Playboy magazine as an erotic story, but shockingly, it was that version that was edited down and Matheson wouldn’t put his name on it. The story was later restored to it’s original format.

The screenplay for this feature film adaptation was penned by Ronnie Christensen (Locked In, Passengers).

[Source: THR]