Summit Entertainment, a Lionsgate company, has acquired the rights to “Breed,” a novel by Chase Novak aka Scott Spencer. Summit has hired Burr Steers to write and direct the horror thriller which David Heyman and Jeffrey Clifford of Heyday Films will produce. Recognizing the tremendous potential of the novel, Mulholland Books ordered a sequel novel to follow Breed before it was published in September 2012.
Breed follows the story of a couple who undergo an experimental fertility treatment that turns them into bloodthirsty savages, leading them on a desperate quest to find a cure.
Steers most recently directed Charlie St. Cloud and 17 Again. His writing credits include How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Igby Goes Down, which he also directed.
Spencer has written 11 novels, and is best known for penning “Endless Love,” which has sold over 2 million copies and garnered a nomination for the National Book Award.
Breed is Summit’s second deal with Heyday Films following the studio’s acquisition of all worldwide film and television rights to “The Night Circus” in January 2011. Moira Buffini is currently writing the script for the film based on Erin Morgenstern’s novel.
Erik Feig, Lionsgate Motion Picture Groups President of Production, Geoff Shaevitz, Summit Entertainments President of Production, and Jina Jones, Lionsgates Director of Development, will oversee Breed for the studio.
