Paramount Pictures has landed the rights to Marcus Sakey’s ‘Brilliance’, the first of a trilogy of novels. Obviously, Paramount hopes that the first film is popular enough to similarly turn this into a trilogy. ‘Brilliance’ will reteam Will Smith, who will star, with screenwriter/producer Akiva Goldsman. Goldsman previously wrote ‘I Am Legend’ and ‘I, Robot’, and produced ‘Hancock’, all of which starred Smith. Both men will serve as producers on ‘Brilliance’, along with James Lassiter and Shane Salerno. The three Smith/Goldsman collaborations have grossed over $2 billion.
Here is the synopsis for the book:
If 1% of the world’s children were born with powerful gifts, how would society adapt to them? The Brilliance novel trilogy is set in a future where non-neurotypical people — demonized by society as “twists” or “abnorms” — are threatening the status quo of the “normal” population with their unique gifts. They are officially labeled as “Brilliants” and are carefully tracked by the government.
Smith will play Brilliant federal agent Nick Cooper, who has the ability to see the future and act preemptively to prevent it. He is also the father to an abnorm daughter. Cooper uses his ability to track down and eliminate criminals who use their abnorm gifts to break the law.
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He finds himself drawn into an undercover society of these gifted individuals, led by “the country’s most elusive and most dangerous abnorm,” John Smith. Cooper is ordered to take out Smith, who is sowing the seeds of a superhuman civil war. But as Cooper gets deeper, he begins to question everything he knows. As one character tells him, “You can’t stop the future. All you can do is pick a side.”
The second book in Sakey’s series is entitled ‘A Better World’, while the third is named, ‘Written in Fire’. The series has sold nearly two million copies.
‘Brilliance’ is in the earliest stages of development, but check back for updates as they become available.
Goldsman currently acts as a writer and executive producer on DC Universe’s ‘Titans’ and CBS All Access’ ‘Star Trek: Discovery’, and he will also act as EP on ‘Star Trek: Picard’, and the upcoming Amazon series adaptation of ‘The Dark Tower’.
Smith will next be seen in ‘Gemini Man’ on October 11.
Source: Deadline
