Syfy Recruits Grant Morrison For Brave New World and Happy!

Universal Cable Productions announced today that they have signed comic book legend Grant Morrison and Crank's Brian Taylor to adapt a pair of high-profile projects for Syfy.

First up, the pair will adapt Aldous Huxley's novel Brave New World for Syfy with Amblin Television. Morrison and Taylor will also serve as executive producers, along with Amblin Television Co-Presidents Darryl Frank ("The Americans," "All The Way") and Justin Falvey ("The Americans," "All The Way").

Considered one of the most influential genre classics of all time and named fifth among the 100 best English-language novels of the 20thCentury by Modern Library, the 1931 novel looks 632 years into the future and anticipates new developments in reproductive technology, sleep-learning, psychological manipulation and classical conditioning that combine to profoundly change society.

UCP is also developing Happy! for Syfy, an adaptation of a graphic novel originally written by Morrison and co-created with artist Darick Robertson. Robertson's work on both Transmetropolitan and The Boys have made him a creator Hollywood loves to court, but as yet none of those properties have been successfully adapted. Back in 2012, RZA had optioned Happy! to develop as a feature film.

Morrison and Taylor are set as executive producers and co-wrote the pilot; Taylor is attached to direct. This grimy crime black comedy features Nick Sax, a corrupt, intoxicated, ex-cop turned hit-man adrift in a twilight world of casual murder, soulless sex and betrayal. After a hit goes wrong, Nick finds a bullet in his side, the cops and the mob on his tail and a monstrous killer in a Santa suit on the loose. But his world is about to be changed forever by Happy, a tiny (imaginary) blue winged horse with a relentlessly positive attitude.

No official word yet on when either of the properties might actually make their small-screen debut.