Rogue Pictures Plans Infested Horror-Thriller

As a novelist, you gotta love it when, before your book even comes out, Hollywood bigshots are scrambling to buy and develop your book into a movie franchise. I mean, damn, that’s like winning the lotto (getting published) and then winning the lotto again the next day (getting a movie made from your book). Am I right or am I right? Anyhoo. Novelist Scott Sigler’s upcoming book, “Infested” and its as-yet-untitled-and-unwritten follow-up sequel have already been snatched up by Rogue Pictures, who plans a franchise out of it ala “28 Days Later”. Why the comparison? Because of “Infested’s” premise, for one.

The book centers around a CIA black-ops specialist and a Center for Disease Control scientist who team up in the struggle to contain a parasite that is rapidly spreading across America. But this is no ordinary bug… Once infected people turn into crazed serial killers. The trail of corpses - of both the killers and their victims - soon leads to an infected man, Perry Dawsey, fighting a bloody battle for control of his own mind and body.

See? Basically it’s “28 Days Later” with bugs. Just as “28 Days Later” was zombies with rage. You know the drill.

At this point, it’s not about coming up with an original idea, it’s about coming up with an original twist to an old idea. Hence, “28 Days Later”.

Still sounds like a killer idea for a movie, though.

Sigler’s past novels include “EarthCore”, “Ancestor”, and “The Rookie”.

UPDATE (5:35 p.m.):

Scott Sigler wrote in to inform me that his book “Infested” is nothing like “28 Days Later”. (Oops)

Says Scott about “Infested”:

INFESTED is nothing like 28 Days. Not even close. Unfortunately, there’s only so much plot you can pack into a two-paragraph description. I liked 28 Days, but the thing is miles away from any actual science (unless the premise hinges on instantaneous catalytic conversion of neurotransmitters).

INFESTED is a tale of biological possession (the movie types wouldn’t go for that description …). It features biochemical manipulation of the human mind, and the scientific premise is rock-solid. Don’t get me wrong, this is some brutal shit, but it’s not a zombie film.

You can actually listen to the whole novel for free at www.podiobooks.com. Just go there and search for Sigler in the upper right-hand corner.

So there you go, straight from the horse’s mouth (if you will). Thanks for writing in, Scott!