Imagine Entertainment has struck a pre-emptive film rights deal for Whalefall, the soon-to-be-released novel from Daniel Kraus, Deadline reported. The deal for the book option was reached ahead of its August 8 publication by MTV Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. (As reported earlier this week, Whalefall has also inspired a new beer.)
Noting that agreements like this are not common now amid the SAG-AFTRA and the WGA strikes, Deadline wrote that the plan is "to develop Whalefall for the big screen, at the point when Hollywood is again back up and running. No development will be done and no writing services will be rendered here until new Guild contracts are struck."
Allan Mandelbaum, Imagine's senior v-p, features, headed the acquisition and will oversee along with Karen Lunder, president of features. In a statement, they said, "We are thrilled to be entrusted with the adaptation of Whalefall. Daniel Kraus has crafted an extraordinary primordial adventure that is equal parts moving character study and edge-of-your-seat thriller. At Imagine, we are passionate about bringing stories to the screen that convey the full range of the human experience, and Whalefall is a perfect addition."