A Thousand Splendid Suns By Khaled Hosseini

Film rights to Khaled Hosseini's A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS, the story of an unusual friendship between two Afghan women brought jarringly together by history, by loss, and by their shared Muslim husband in a period spanning the idyllic mid-1950s to post 9/11 Kabul, to Sony Pictures and producer Scott Rudin, by Hotchkiss and Associates, on behalf of The Elaine Koster Agency.

VARIETY: Zaillian takes shine to 'Suns'

Hosseini's bestselling novel finds director

By TATIANA SIEGEL

Steven Zaillian has signed on to adapt Khaled Hosseini's bestselling novel "A Thousand Splendid Suns" and is attached to direct the Columbia Pictures drama.

The book, Hosseini's follow-up to "The Kite Runner," was published in May by Riverhead and debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list, where it remained for three months. The story revolves around two Muslim women, married to the same man, who foster a friendship that lasts more than 10 years against the backdrop of war in Afghanistan.

Scott Rudin is producing. He bought the book in January preemptively for high six against seven figures and set it up at Col, which plans to make the film for about $15 million.

Zaillian recently teamed with Mandate Pictures to produce modestly budgeted, character-driven films and signed a first-look deal with Sony. His writing credits include "Gangs of New York," "Schindler's List" and the upcoming "American Gangster." He most recently wrote and directed Sony's remake of "All the King's Men."

Zaillian is repped by Endeavor.

Kringle By Tony Abbott

Film rights to Tony Abbott's KRINGLE, the story of an orphan boy, Kris Kringle, who teams up with elves and flying reindeer to free children that have been enslaved by goblins, to writer/director Mark Dindal (Chicken Little, The Emperor's New Groove, The Little Mermaid), by Hotchkiss and Associates with George Nicholson of Sterling Lord Literistic.

In early 2007, optioned to Paramount and producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura, as a live-action feature.

Monster Island By David Wellington

Film rights to David Wellington's MONSTER ISLAND, about a small army of female soldiers led by a UN weapons inspector as they search for much needed medicine, to Stephen Susco (The Grudge), who will adapt and produce, by Sean Daily of Hotchkiss and Associates, on behalf of Thunder's Mouth Press.

The Monstrous Memoirs of a Mighty McFearless By Ahmet Zappa

Film rights to Ahmet Zappa's THE MONSTROUS MEMOIRS OF A MIGHTY MCFEARLESS, in which Minerva McFearless keeps a journal of the monsters she and her brother must defeat when they embark on a mission to save their father from the most diabolical creature in the universe, to Disney and producer Jerry Bruckheimer, sold outright, in a major deal, reportedly for $1.5 million, by Helen Breitwieser, Cornerstone Literary and Jody Hotchkiss at Hotchkiss & Associates

VARIETY: Disney, Bruckheimer book 'Mighty'

Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films have paid $1.5 million for film rights to the unpublished novel "Monstrous Memoirs of a Mighty McFearless," by first-time writer Ahmet Zappa. The story concerns a young brother and sister who learn their family is part of a long line of monster hunters. The pair squabble constantly but must band together against the most diabolical creature in the universe. The book is scheduled for publication in August from Random House as a hardcover with full-color art. Zappa wrote the story and penned some 300 illustrations.